


Death's Heir

by WereBunny87



Series: The Death series [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-25
Updated: 2014-03-25
Packaged: 2017-11-12 21:46:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 16
Words: 41,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/495980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WereBunny87/pseuds/WereBunny87
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the fiasco of the Chamber of Secrets things change in Harry's life. He doesn't understand what's going on until third year, when a certain Shadow Demon finally fills him in. He's a Dementor Prince. Why was his life always so complicated?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Here it is! My baby! It's been two years in the making...and I've re-written it twice now xD this first book is done, and I'm still working on the second. Now to clarify my Dementors are different. Also Harry this story will span over his third, fourth, and fifth years. In that time he will grow, his opinions will change, he will be angsty, he will get into nasty stuff, and he will become a dark and slightly insane little bugger. Buuuut I promise...he will still be lovable and kind to those he holds dear. Anyways...let me know what you guys think!

Death's Heir- Prologue (after the Chamber of Secrets debacle)

Bright green eyes darted frantically behind thick framed glasses, hoping no one had seen what he had almost done. What was he doing?! What was he becoming?! Was this really going to make him the next Dark Lord, like everyone had been alluding to when they had learned of his ability with parsletongue. He didn't want to be evil. More of a freak. Deep down he thought he might be though. With all these changes he had been experiencing lately. Most recently the meal he had nearly made of Ginny Weasley when they had been left alone for a bit in the infirmary. 

It had had such an odd feeling. He had crept closer to her bed, opened her mouth slightly, and felt as if he was taking a deep breath. It was as if he were trying to suck the air from her lungs. He had gone halfway through the motion before realizing what he was doing and backing off in fear. He had stumbled back to his bed and hid under the covers. When he had been brave enough he had peered around, which brought him to this moment.   
No one was there though, and he heaved a huge sigh of relief. He thought it over a moment. This wasn't the first time something odd had happened to him. Really it had begun after he'd tried to stop the snake from going after Justin. The way that the Parsle words had moved silkily over his tongue had been divine; like sweet honey on his taste buds. Not one person had believed him when he had stated that he was trying to help Justin, not egg the snake on.

Then there was the time during the small Quidditch match he had started with Ron, something they often did whenever they had free time. It was just practice, but as the heat of the day began to beat down on them, he found that he was feeling hot. Ridiculously hot. He could tell Ron was no where near sweating as much as himself.  
The twelve year old had shrugged it off however and continued to play. Halfway through the game, though, he asked Ron if they could take a break. He wasn't feeling good. Nauseous. His head felt like little miners were pounding away at his skull with mini mallets. His skin was red, like a bad sunburn, on every exposed inch. When Ron saw how badly sunburned Harry was, they quit their game and hurried to see Madame Pomfrey. She had been unable to explain away his symptoms as anything other than heat exhaustion and sunburn.   
Still, she gave Harry the needed potions and placed him in a bed to sleep it off. The next day he was fine  
Hermione had been kind enough to find a sunblock spell for him, claiming he might have an over sensitivity to sunlight. And they had continued as if nothing had happened. 

A few months later the Chamber opened. He had talked to the Tom memory from the diary. Then, while talking with Tom, everything seemed better. He felt as if he had found a friend who could accept all of him. Even if they never showed it, Hermione and Ron were terrified of him, now that his Parsle ability was known. Tom though...Tom had explained a lot about what was happening, what his snake speaking gift was. It wasn't something to be ashamed of.  Harry had felt so much better, he was even looking forward to the next Quidditch game. That is, until he found out it was being held in the heat of the day.  
He told McGonagall that he couldn't play because his apparent sun allergy hadn't been remedied. The cat animagus had promptly excused him from the games whenever he needed, but it was impossible to play in the dark, so he had quit, hoping that he could play next year once all this had been figured out.

Harry had gone to breakfast the next day amidst glares from his house. Ron and Hermione seemed concerned, especially when their fellow Gryffindor begged off eating, claiming nausea.  
The bushy haired girl had gazed at him with worry in her eyes. Harry winced. He had been trying to hide how strange he really was. He avoided the questions she obviously wanted to ask all that day. He awoke the next day and felt as if he were starving! It was such an abrupt turn around from yesterday's nausea that it gave him pause in between hurried bites of bacon. He just barely managed to stop himself from gorging on his food like Ron did, but it was an absurdly close call. What was happening to him? At the Dursley's he was conditioned to small meals. He'd never eaten in his life, like this. 

His eye twitched at the lack of manners and occasional flying bits of food from his friend beside him. Gah! Having his own manners compared to Ron's eating habits was a ghastly thought, forcing him to slow down, much to his stomach's discontent. The redhead looked exactly like Dudley. He wondered briefly if Ron would be mad if he called him 'Ronniekins' like his siblings did. It was strangely reminiscent of Aunt Petunia's various sickening nicknames she had developed for Dudley over the years.  
Then he shook off the thought, appalled that he might be thinking bad things of his friend. Ron was not like Dudley. He may not have the best take manners, but he was a good friend.   
He had quickly finished his meal, careful to eat slowly and avoid looking like a slob, and made his excuses to his friends, escaping their worried stares.

When he had reached the dorms he was stunned to see the room demolished. Harry stared in shock before rushing to his bed and over turned trunk, dread filling his gut. It was only his things that were scattered around the room. His mattress was hanging off his four poster lopsided, his table drawer jerked out and tipped over, his trunk upended and even his pillows slashed open with what seemed like desperation.  
What thief  could have done this? He didn't have anything worth taking except...his stomach dropped and he started looking through the various books and pillow stuffing littering the floor frantically. Tom's diary was gone. Stolen. He was devastated. His only friend...gone.  
Sometime later Hermione had been petrified, and Ginny Weasley taken to the Chamber. Ron had demanded he rescue his sister. After all Harry was the boy-who-lived, he could do anything.

Harry had obeyed despite his own fear and had reunited with his friend Tom, coming to discover the truth of the mysterious boy. Tom had allowed him to leave with Ginny's life in tact, and he had returned completely exhausted, so bone deep tired he felt he could sleep for years. Ron and the Weasley's had celebrated the return of their youngest child, over looking the frightened and envious boy watching on.  
Dumbledore had then shuffled him off to the hospital wing to get him looked over but Harry had the impression that it was more to get him out of the way than anything. He couldn't complain though.  
Pomfrey, of course, had swiftly placed him in bed, giving him calming draughts. When the lost and newly found redhead joined him, she had slipped Ginny a healing potion. Once they had been cared for in a timely fashion, she set about unpetrifying everyone who had been victimized but he didn't see the results of her efforts. Harry had drifted off quickly, sleeping for the rest of the night. When he woke, this morning he had felt so famished. He crept out of bed and...  
He hid beneath the sheets of his hospital bed, trembling and unable to staunch the press of tears against his eyes.

"What is happening to me?"

\--------

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed. He watched as Harry hid beneath his covers, having seen what the young Gryffindor had almost done. So his suspicions were true. The child really /had/ been tainted. By the looks of it the Golden Boy had been tarnished, infected, with Dementor blood. Filth. He needed to keep this under wraps. Voldemort couldn't find out. If Harry was indeed part dementor, and Voldemort was able to get his claws into the child, then the Dark Lord would have the other Soul-Suckers on his side at once.  
Especially since children of dementors were rare. He had to make sure no one found out. Not even Harry. If the child came to him with questions he would turn him away.  
Suddenly Dumbledore's eyes widened.  
He needed to protect his students. Any one of them could fall victim to the terror that the boy-who-lived had become. They must be warned of Harry's evil.

"I know Ron,but I think we should check on him. He's been so sick lately!"

Hermione's voice wafted up to the older wizard's ears and he smirked smugly. Oh this was priceless. This could work. The rumors would surly be started that's to the loudmouthed Ron at the very least. Straightening, the headmaster turned and stepped in the children's path. Startled, they stopped and gave the older male small smiles.

"Good morning Miss Granger, Mister Weasley."

"Good morning, headmaster. We're on our way to see Harry."

Too easy.

"Ah yes. About Mister Potter. I need to speak with you. I thought I should warn you that I just had something confirmed about him last night." he lied effortlessly

Take the bait. Take it.

"What about, sir?"

Bingo.

"I'm afraid that your young friend is not who you think he is. He has been hiding something from us all. It seems that in the Chamber of Secrets the light within him dwindled and he has succumbed tithe darkness of the Dark Lord. I'm so sorry." he adopted the sorrowful grandfather mask.

Ron seemed puzzled.

"But...he helped Ginny!"

Solemnly, the headmaster nodded.

"Yes. When Voldemort went to school here, he tried to fool a lot of people into thinking he was a kind-hearted individual. He was even Head Boy, one of our best and brightest students. But it was all a lie. I thought that if anyone should know the truth of this it would be the two of you. His brand of corruption can be contagious after all and I would hate for either of you to give up such promising bright futures for an unfortunate accident that could take everything from you. He has accepted the Dark Lord's evil into him. You two should avoid him from now on, lest you be corrupted too."

Hermione and Ron looked scared and they exchanged glances. He knew Ms. Granger had her eye on working in the Ministry and even a twit as young as her could tell that being tied to the less than fortunate or Dark, would send her career crashing down around her before it even started. And Weasley had always been nothing but a jealous brat. They would be easy to sway.

"Is that why he's been feeling so sick lately?"

Dumbledore inwardly rolled his eyes. They were so far off base. Whatever, he could work with it.

"I'm afraid so. It was the evil in him acclimating to his body. It seems that he has been Lord Voldemort's disciple for some time now and his master was awakening the Darkness inside him, even transferring some of his own powers and taint into Mr. Potter. I'm afraid the friend you knew is dead. What is in his place now is nothing more than the seed of the Dark Lord. A monster in his place."

Hermione firmed her chin. It appeared that it took less than he'd thought to change their perspectives. Foolish children. 

"Thank you headmaster. We'll tell him our friendship is over and then warn the other Gryffindors."

Ron nodded his agreement.  
The two lions made their way inside the infirmary to confront the abomination inside and Albus Dumbledore finally allowed himself to smirk, his twinkling eyes triumphant.  
He turned and walked out the doors of the waiting room, making his way back to his office. He had a teachers meeting to call. He'd leave the children to Hermione and Ron for now.

\-------

Harry blinked in confusion. Hurt. What- what was happening?

"We have decided you aren't worth the trouble. You almost got Ron killed, and even Ginny barely made it out. It's too dangerous being your friend."

The rave haired twelve years old turned his emerald eyes to Ron only to find that his fellow lion sported a similar expression to the bushy haired girl. Disgust. Hatred. Even fear. Harry flinched. This wasn't happening. He was only having a nightmare.

"But... What about all we've been through?" he squeaked, trying vainly to quell the urge to cry.

Hermione scoffed while Ron snorted.

"A lapse of judgement on our part, I assure you. Don't talk to us again, freak." Hermione snapped with a huff and stormed out of the room.

Ron spat in Harry's face and sneered, giving Harry an expression worthy of Draco Malfoy.

"Stay the bloody hell away from my family, demon!" and he stalked out as well.

Harry was stunned. Ill. He should have realized his friendship was too good to be true. He was too strange to have friends. Ha family was right. He was a freak. A nobody. A waste of space. He was once more alone.  
Alone.  
It was all he deserved.  
Harry finally gave into his need to cry and sobbed. The pain ate at his heart, tearing him apart. What was he? Would he ever have anyone that would want him? Was there anywhere he really belonged?   
He burrowed beneath his covers and felt a coldness creep into his limbs, spreading outward from his body, as if he was being cocooned in a bubble of ice. Instead of freezing, the cold seemed to welcome him, calm him. It was soothing and a welcome comfort. He didn't fight this cold, his own magic, as it wrapped him up in its tendrils of energy. His sorrow was eased and he fell into a fitful sleep.  
Through it all his magic continued to pulse and surround him, keeping him tranquil.


	2. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: hey guys! I'm so tired...and while these gaming glasses help me type better I'm just too exhausted. So I will post the next installment in the Queen saga (who knew it would evolve like it did?) tomorrow when I'm less...meh and my fingers aren't about to fall off.  
> In other news, I never liked this chapter. But I can't fix it. It just won't do it. So this is what I'm left with. As a warning, most of the relationships move a tad bit fast. And there will be abuse of drugs and alcohol and cutting and such mentioned....I'm warning NOW so that I don't forget to later (cause I'm an airhead at time with a memory like a sieve and I will just plum forget)  
> I hope you like this new chapter! Forgive any mistakes, yeah?
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing. I only own Atropos and my version of what makes up Harry's version of dementor.

Chapter One-

Harry sighed as he traveled alone onto the train. Since the fiasco with the Chamber in second year, both of his so called best friends had deserted him. Their claim? That being friends with him was more dangerous than it was worth. It had broken his heart. He never thought the day would come when he'd wished he'd never left his cupboard.  
Biting back the tears that threatened to overwhelm him, he pushed open a door to a compartment and stopped short when confronted with an older male. The young man turned to Harry after hearing the opening of the compartment and Harry felt his chest tighten and his knees weaken. The sex-god on two legs was taller than Harry by a good half a foot. His short dark brown hair fell along his chiseled features in feather-like touches. His expressive yet honest grey eyes locked with Harry's own Avada Kedavra green and widened.  
Feeling like an intruder, Harry ducked his head and backed up a step.

"Do you need a place to sit?" came the deep voice of the other occupant and Harry's head snapped back up in astonishment.

Dumbly, Harry nodded his head and the grey-eyed wizard flashed Harry a grin that caused something in him to shift pleasantly. He'd known for a year now that he was gay ( having a crush-however minor- on your potions professor was a major clue), but he'd never experienced a reaction so strong before. Pulling himself together, he timidly smiled back as the older wizard assisted him in storing his luggage in the overhead compartments.  
Once that was done, Harry sat across from where the older male had reclaimed his previous seating arrangement. Harry sighed and cast his gaze outwards as the train began moving, focusing on his inner thoughts. On top of Hermione and Ron ditching him, there now seemed to be a crazed killer who had escaped from Azkaban, who was now gunning for him. He bit his lip and rubbed at his face. Why him? Why did these bad things have to happen to him? He was a nobody. A freak. Why couldn't the bad guys pick on someone who mattered?

"Are you alright?"

Blinking, Harry turned his gaze to the other wizard, his mind still somewhat on the thoughts in his head.

"Um. Yeah. I guess."

Grey eyes narrowed thoughtfully, then a calloused hand was stretched out towards him.

"I'm Cedric Diggory. It's nice to meet you. Would you like to be friends?" the older wizard asked politely.

Harry's eyes widened in surprise. Gulping, he grasped the hand in his and whimpered slightly when a magical shock passed through him. This guy was special. He didn't know how but, keeping Cedric as a friend would be something he knew he'd never forget.

"I'm Harry Potter. It's nice to meet you too, I would like that very much." he replied with a shy smile.

Cedric chuckled and gently extracted his hand and then set back against his seat.

"So what's a pretty thing like you doing without your friends?"

Harry winced and looked away, but he was still blushing over what Cedric had said about him being pretty. He didn't believe it for a second but that wasn't what he was currently concerned with. The question posed cut deep.

"They don't want me anymore. After Second Year. They just want nothing to do with me. Said I'm not worth it."

Cedric's eyes darkened with that admission. He personally couldn't understand how those people could treat their chosen one like this. Harry seemed like a kind hearted if sad child. Cedric looked the child over and then reached out with his Shadow Senses, allowing them to wash over the young teen in front of him. What he found almost had him gasp aloud. This child really was unique. And being what he was, it was no wonder that two Light children wouldn't stay his friend for long. Harry was a dementor's child. Even more rare is that if his 'scenting' was correct, this child was of royal blood. 

Interesting.

Leaning forward, Cedric extended a finger and tilted the dark haired, green eyed boy's head up. Their eyes met and Cedric could see the power hiding beneath those eyes. He could tell that Harry would need to start feeding soon. But to ease him into who he was, Cedric would help Harry see how special he was.

"If they dump you because the going gets tough then they weren't worth your time to begin with, muerte." the Shadow Demon purred gently.

Harry blushed deeply at the praise and appeared puzzled by the nickname. The wizard was confusing him. Having never been treated so kindly. But there was something inherently calming about him. Part of Harry felt a yearning to be around Cedric. He couldn't explain it, but he knew he could trust the older teen.

"Supposedly I'm too dangerous to have friends. A freak should expect no less, I guess." he muttered.

He didn't expect those beautiful grey eyes to darken to almost black. He gasped when Cedric's face was mere inches from his own, and a feral growl stole through the room.

"Who said you were a freak, Harry?"

"My r-relatives." he whispered, silly ashamed.

No one else had families like his. Ones that beat and starved you. Treated you like you were a plague. Once more Cedric growled. He could sense the inner turmoil this young Dementor was experiencing and wanted to lash out at all of them. How dare they treat this morsel of darkness with such disdain?

"Well anyone who calls you a freak needs to look in the mirror. You are a rare find, Harry. An obviously kind person. You are not a freak. Understood?"

Harry nodded quickly, eyes wide with shock. He wasn't a freak? He wasn't...a...freak? Cedric nodded firmly and leaned back.

"So who were those friends of yours? I'll do my best to make sure they never bother you again."

Harry looked away once more, tracing abstract designs on the seat beside him with the tip of his finger. Could he really trust this man? His instincts screamed yes. They hadn't failed him yet. So he told Cedric about them. About what they said and how they'd treated him at the end of second year. The whole time shadows seemed to gather around Cedric and his eyes grew darker again.  
By the end of the tale they fell into a comfortable silence while each attempted to rally their thoughts.   
It was then that an intense cold began to fill the compartment. Cedric's eyes widened then narrowed in thought. So they'd finally been drawn to Harry's presence. It was surprising that it had taken so long. From what he could tell, Harry's first feeding would happen soon. Dementors reached maturity, enough to feed on their own anyways, when they reached the human age of thirteen. The door opened and a robed figure entered.

"C-Cedric? What is that?" stammered Harry breathlessly.

He felt as if there were multiple fingers trailing pleasantly down his skin. His green eyes dilated and he gasped. When the hooded figure turned towards him. What was this? He felt so hungry, aroused, deliriously happy. Harry gasped again and lay back against the seat, arching slightly as the figure drew closer.   
Cedric raised brow. The kid was feeding off of the left over happiness that this Dementor had gathered. That was even more rare.  
A dementor who could feed and grow aroused by draining emotions. Demons, Vampires, other Dementors and sometimes the Sexual Demons were some examples of the creatures Harry could safely feed from. If Harry did feed form a Light creature or human, it would likely poison him. It wasn't a well known fact however. In fact only a few species were privileged with the information. Shadow Demons among them. Cedric knew then that he'd protect this kid with his dying breath. He turned his attention to Harry and smiled wryly.

"Harry. I'd like for you to meet your kin. This being here is called a Dementor."

Harry moaned when another blast of cold air circulated through the room. He felt so full. So overjoyed. He couldn't even remember the last time he felt so complete.

"D-dementor? What's that? How are they m-my kin? I'm just a wizard!"

The Dementor hissed, speaking slowly in a tongue similar to parseltongue but not quite. However, Harry still understood.

::You are a dementor's child, little death.::stated the cloaked being, almost fondly. A prince. He was in the presence of a prince. A strong one too. A rare one.

Full, Harry calmed and stared at both Cedric and the Dementor with confused half-lidded eyes. How could that be? His parents were wizards. Weren't they? Cedric's eyes traveled over the thirteen years old, who looked admittedly more full. More alive as he sat up, still feeling pleasurable tingles.

"Your father was a dementor. Your mother, a witch. I can tell. I can smell it on you. It's why you reacted like you did to the dementor in our compartment. You are a rare dementor. One who feeds off of Dark Creatures."

Harry's eyes widened at Cedric's soothing words. He could smell him?

"How can you tell?"

Cedric smirked, and the Dementor tilted his head curiously.

"I'm a Shadow Demon. I am one of the few species you can feed off of without us being affected. But the side effects of your kind of dementor is the intense feeling of arousal and a certain  giddiness." Cedric paused," this was his first feeding wasn't it?"

The dementor nodded slowly. It hissed.

"Yes. He said yes." Harry whispered," How can I stop this at school ? I can't go off munching on others emotions! Dumbledore will lock me up!"

Cedric growled. He hated that old man. He was so prejudiced against Dark Creatures that he and his father had been forced to hide their Shadow Demon heritage. He would be damned if that old codger touched Harry. The dementor noted the fierce protectiveness in the demon towards the young prince and smirked beneath his cloak.

::Little death, you may call me Atropos. I am the leader if the Fearheart clan, as you are the prince of our allied clan- the Blood Death clan. As to how it's possible...sometimes a dementor will transform into his human form. Orhers as the case may be. They shift for two reasons. To be with their mate or to relieve sexual tension that has built up over many years. Your father had found a mate, and strove to procure an heir. Soon after your birth he was killed by a strong Patronus Charm. Your throne has been empty for thirteen years. It has been jointly ruled by myself and my brother until you are ready::

Harry's mouth opened in shock. He was a prince? As Harry processed this information, Cedric thought over Harry's previous question. Then smiled.

"There are multiple ways. I'll care of you. You can feed off of me, but also there are ways to keep you satisfied until actual feeding."

Harry smiled in excitement, feeling content. So this was what it was like to have a friend. Slowly he nodded and then turned to Atropos, momentarily forgetting his royal blood. He'd tell Cedric later.

"Will I see you or any others?"

Atropos inclined his head, amusement in his posture.

::I and our kin will be present. We were sent to search for an escapee.  If he hurts you he's a dead man::

Harry sighed and nodded. He was nervous about that. 

"Cedric. Atropos said he'd see us around."

Cedric nodded and with a bow, Atropos left. The room instantly warmed. They talked about what they'd learned in the last few moments. And as the train pulled into the station, Harry couldn't help thinking that this year might actually turn out good.

-end of chapter one-


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: hey guys! Here's the next chapter. As I was typing it up I noticed it was rather short and I apologize for that. I don't mean it to Dx  
> But regardless I hope you like it...I promise that the rest of the chapters are like...three to four pages long soooo that's a lot of typing lol! As a WARNING in this chapter there is mentions of self harm. If this might trigger you, I beg of you to turn back now. I warned you because I care...and I wouldn't want someone who had healed to relapse because of some of the stuff in this story.  
> I hope enjoy this chapter guys!
> 
> Disclaimer: not mine. If it was, the cool guys wouldn't have died.

Chapter two- 

Harry sat morosely at the Gryffindor Table. No one talked to him. No one looked at him. He felt even more alone than he had been before. He glared at his utensils, the anger baring down on him. Remembering an overheard conversation between his Aunt and Uncle about the teacher accusing Dudley of self harm with a knife. He stared at it and wondered what it felt like. To have a sharp blade pressed to the tender flesh of the arm. With clenched teeth he slipped the knife from the table and discretely dragged its blade across the top of his forearm. Immediately his anger disappeared and was replaced with a numb calm. The pain in his arm had successfully blotted out the anger in his heart. With wide eyes at his new discovery, he cut again. Nothing. Just blissfully numbing calm. The cuts weren't very deep. Just enough to draw a slow welling of blood. But it took his mind off that deep seated pain.

"You should learn a healing spell, Muerte. That way you won't bleed and call anyone's attention to your new found obsession." Cedric's deep voice purred into his ear.

He jumped minutely and shyly turned to the older male who he found was equal parts watching him with his sharp but kind eyes, and others with a malevolent glare.

"You aren't going to stop me?" he whispered in shock.

Cedric returned his attention to Harry and smiled. While the smile was somewhat sad, those beautiful starlight eyes glinted mischievously.

"No. All of us need release in some form or other, Muerte. I have other ways to help you keep your anger down, or to feed, than cutting. But no, I won't stop you. I know for a fact many Slytherins do just that so that they don't feel the pain of being home in uncaring families."

Harry blinked in shock but then his thoughts turned inward as he contemplated this new information.

"What are /you/ doing here, Hufflepuff?" Ron's voice felt very oily on Harry's ears.

He felt another spike of anger but calmed when Cedric's hand rested on his shoulder. He breathed in slowly and fingered the edge of the blade, knocking the pad of his finger, instantly calming him further. Cedric smirked secretly at Harry before wiping his face clean of emotions and focusing back on the two timing redhead. Said redhead appeared angry at the thought that Cedric might sit there.

"I wouldn't sit here even if you paid me. I'm here to invite Harry to sit with me at my table."

Harry turned shocked eyes to his friend. Cedric smiled kindly at Harry, allowing his Shadow powers to blanket the young Dementor in soothing waves. Harry sighed and leaned against the body of the older teen.

"Who would want this freak of nature to sit with them?" Ron blurted loudly, garnering the unwanted attention of many.

Hermione, who'd been nosily listening in, nodded in agreement.

"And why would /you/, a fifth year have any interest in a walking plague like him?" she added snidely.  
   
Cedric's eyes grew dark.

"Who fed these lies to you? Harry is one of the nicest people I have ever met. Certainly better company than foul smelling turncoats such as yourselves." the Shadow Demon snapped, voice menacingly low.

Ron puffed up in anger while Hermione with self importance. A haughty look stole across her features.  
"Dumbledore told us of Harry's inner evil. He said it was only natural that Harry be dark as he's been tainted by You-Know-Who. He warned us to make sure everyone knew that he was a danger. You better get out while you can if you know what's good for you." she finished and sniffed with a look of disdain in Harry's direction.

Harry, this time, felt overwhelmingly sad. The depths of his despair rivaled what it had been on the train before Cedric had entered into his life. His emerald eyes drifted to the blade in his hand, wishing nothing more than to shove it beneath his skin and scrape away whatever taint that made him so instantly hated. He was ok with being a Dementor. He was fine with having a Shadow Demon as a friend. He felt so comforted by Cedric's presence. Like being covered in a soft black blanket. Safe.   
Sensing Harry's turn into sorrowful thoughts, Cedric drew the teen close and pulled him into a standing position. He helped Harry step over the bench-seat and then pulled him into an even tighter embrace.

"Harry, I'm glad you rid yourself of 'friends' like these. You deserve much better."

"Like you?" snapped Ron." I'm sure the little freak must be paying you or something." Ron paused and looked the two of them over, then his eyes narrowed."You're  putting out for him aren't you, you freak?"

Cedric growled, low enough that only Harry, Hermione, and Ron could hear, but it caused the redhead and bushy haired twit to flinch and Harry to shiver with a soft smile. The sound was more comforting to him than anything, so he simply laid his head against Cedric's chest and waited. He instinctively knew that Cedric wouldn't allow anyone, especially these two, to harm him if he could prevent it.

"Take care with your words, Weasel. This child is under my protection. If you cause him any more distress, I will make sure you regret it." with that said, Cedric gave the two traitors one more malevolent look and turned ,with Harry still in his arms, to the Hufflepuff table.

Once Harry was seated, Cedric sat down as well and drew Harry close once more. The other Hufflepuffs, although curious, minded their own business. They had all learned long ago to let Cedric alone. Harry picked at his food that had been magicked to his plate in front of him.

"You need to eat. Don't let what they said get to you. Now I should warn you you about something you might experience." when Harry nodded and began to nibble on some fruit, the Shadow Demon continued." Your tastes in food might change. You'll more than likely have a taste for more mushrooms or very ripe fruit. You'll probably end up drinking more water than usual. You won't be able to stand high temperatures anymore. In fact you will probably find the dungeons or the Astronomy Tower at night more comfortable. Also, no Quidditch."

Harry's head bowed and he nodded. Flying was something he was legitimately good at. Something he enjoyed for the simple fact that it gave him a freedom he had always wished to have. But still...

"May I ask why I can't play?"

"Besides the fact you've more than likely been ousted from the team? You will have a mild to severe allergic reaction to the sun. Even the few times they have lights in the field when they play at night would be too much for you. They use a Patronus strength Lumnos to light up the stadium. I don't think you really want the burnt skin that comes with a dementor's prolonged exposure to light." Cedric replied, once more gently wrapping Harry up with his Shadow magic.  
"It's why you feel so at ease around me. Why my Shadow Demons as friends or even lovers. They were able to feed off of the Shadow Demon if there wasn't a steady supply of humans or creatures to feed from. We are able to keep them fed."

Harry sighed contentedly.

"How am I going to avoid Dumbledore or Gryffindor? I know that if I go back to the Tower I'll be...well it won't be pretty."

Cedric smiled gently, his eyes darkening slightly.  
"You'll stay with us."

"The Hufflepuffs?"

Cedric snorted and shook his head.  
"No. Not all the time anyways. You'll see. Don't worry. I have everything under control. This friend of mine started a group to help others like us. You'll be safe."

Harry tilted his head to the side. He wondered what secrets Cedric kept? What pain or anger drove this young male into a corner with others like Harry. He wondered how the Shadow Demon dealt with whatever bothered him. With a certain determination Harry promised himself to be the best friend Cedric could ever ask for. He promised himself to make sure that Cedric never felt uncared for like /he/ had been.

"Tonight though, you can sleep in Hufflepuff, in my dorm. I'll introduce you to the others in a few days. After we get our schedules and settle into classes. With any luck you'll be paired with some of the members." Cedric continued softly, putting a hand through his dark hair.

Harry watched the action, blushed, then looked back to his plate. He didn't want to give Cedric a reason to ditch him. Just because the Shadow Demon accepted his Dementor heritage didn't mean he'd accept his new friend being gay.

"Thank you, Cedric. For protecting me." he whispered shyly.

Cedric smirked, but his grey orbs were gentle as he patted Harry on the back.

"That's what friends are for, Harry. They are loyal, kind, and willing to go to any lengths to protect each other."

Harry fought back tears as the words touched a place deep in his heart, he'd thought long dead.

"Thank you." he whispered again, and Cedric merely chuckled, returning to his meal.


	4. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Heyla all. So I finally have the next chapter up...yay! I haven't really been in a writing mood the last few days to be honest...I've been in a funk that just won't go away. But I'm trying to get over it because I want to make you all smile. Now for those who didn't understand before, this is AU, and Slash. And while it seems like Harry is going to crush on everyone under the sun, I assure you that it's not going to be the case. Remember that Cedric and Harry aren't officially dating yet, so he is kind of undecided as of yet. (plus he's thirteen. Come on! Horny all the time and all of that)  
> I hope you guys like! Any mistakes are mine.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own. If I did, Harry would be the coolest submissive ever!

-Chapter Three-

Potions class three days later was certainly an unpleasant one. Not that it was anything different from usual but, this time it wasn't the Slytherins who were making his life miserable; it was the Gryffindors. They weren't even trying to silently taunt him.  
Disgust filtered through the air, but what was really bizarre was that some of the Slytherins  were actually throwing the lions dark looks. Even Snape seemed content to ignore Harry for once. Although with Snape he figured that Dumbledore had instructed him to keep away. Like all of the teachers. Yes all of them. Even the kind DADA substitute teacher, Malory Rose, was throwing him looks of disgust. Once more he felt sorrow engulf him and he wished he was with Cedric.

Gazing at his potions knife, he wondered if he could cut and get away with it? He wondered  how his Shadow Demon friend would be able to help him. Harry jumped, slicing his palm open, when Neville's cauldron exploded. The young dementor bit his lip as he watched the blood flow freely, but oh! the lonely despair was gone. He felt so free and calm, but he was bleeding too much. And he didn't have Cedric to help heal him this time. What was he to do? He couldn't go to Pomfrey. She'd ask too many questions. Still,  even though this was a concern it wasn't enough of one to pull him out of his calm.

A whispered healing spell to his left had him turning his attention to the Slytherin beside him; he'd been forced to sit with the Slytherins because of Gryffindor making sure all of the seats on their side were occupied. He met the dark eyes of a dark skinned male. A gorgeous male specimen. Something passed in the Slytherin's eyes as they stared at each other. Slowly, Harry nodded his head in thanks, which was returned with a look of relief in the stoic male's eyes. Thankfully, no other incidents occurred and he, with the help of his new partner, was able to keep his potion under control along with his emotions.

"Blaise." came the soft deep voice of the boy beside him, making Harry blink in shock.

He turned to the male and shyly smiled, his shock melting at the sincere kindness in the Slytherin's eyes.

"Harry."

"Friends?"

Harry's eyes widened more. Timidly he nodded.  
"Sure. Thank you for earlier."

Blaise smiled softly and, their potions finished, stood to take their vials to the front. When he returned they sat in a companionable silence. It was only broken by the sharp sound of the bell ringing, at which point all the students ran for the exit, leaving Harry and Blaise alone to pick up their books.

"You want to walk with me to lunch?" Blaise asked softly, causing Harry to blush and look away as he'd been staring again.

Harry placed his books in his bag and then slung it over his shoulder. He gave the handsome wizard a nervous smile.

"I would love to." he replied and they headed out together.

The halls were bustling with students, all attempting to reach the Great Hall or meet up with friends before heading to lunch. So when Harry was hit from behind and into Blaise, the snake quickly grabbed the small Dementor about the waist. Harry gave a yelp of pain and shock, while Blaise glared at the culprit.

"I knew you were putting out, you freak! Does your Hufflepuff pimp know? Or did /he/ whore you out to this Slytherin scum?" snapped Ronald Weasley's voice, dripping with revulsion and hatred.

Harry shivered and looked up into Blaise's stoic face. He was mildly surprised to note that the Italian Slytherin's eyes were hard glittering stones of anger.  
Yet the arms wrapped around him were calmed and protective. Ignoring Ron, Harry stood on tiptoe and kissed Blaise on the chin then pulled away.

"Thank you, Blaise. That is the second time someone has protected me, and I will never forget it." he blushed and looked away when Blaise's eyes widened," We should go to lunch. I'd like to introduce you to my other friend."

Receiving a nod, they made their past a fuming Ron and continued down the hall until they reached the doors to the Great Hall. Blaise paused and grabbed Harry's hand gently into his own. He tenderly missed the back of said hand and then chuckled at the bright red blush that crept up Harry's neck.

"If you ever lack a place to sit, you may sit beside me at Slytherin, bambino."

Harry nodded and Blaise chuckled once more before they made their way inside. Spotting Cedric, Harry dragged the amused snake over to where his Shadow Demon friend was seated. Only when they stood before the older male did Harry drop Blaise's hand and hug Cedric close. Over the top of the young Dementor's head, Blaise and Cedric shared looks of irritation. Both were feeling particularly protective of the young Gryffindor and felt the other was competition. Of course, they already knew each other. Blaise was a part of the group Cedric was going to introduce to Harry later.

"Did you have fun in your classes?"

Harry shivered when the Shadow Demon's voice traveled through his ears but nodded into the warm chest. He felt calm again. He felt as if he'd come home.

"I had trouble in potions and after potions." he confessed after a bit of thought.

Cedric stiffened and Blaise glared angrily at the Gryffindor table. Cedric's eyes narrowed and traveled over the lion's table until they rested on Ron who was whispering heatedly with his fellow lions while pointedly looking at Harry.

"What happened?"

"The Gryffindors were talking shite and his despair increased. He accidentally sliced up his hand pretty bad when a potions backfired. I healed him up and helped calm him down. Afterwards, the red head decided to call Harry a whore because I wanted to walk him to lunch. You should know he pushed Harry before doing so." Blaise informed, eyes blazing with rage.

Cedric knew that if he could, the Italian would be over at the lion table,  hexing and cursing the brains out of all of them. Cedric bent his head in thanks.blaise inclined his in acknowledgement. Harry, however, nuzzled Cedric's chest, causing the Shadow Demon to become distracted.

"It's ok, Cedric. I feel loads better now. By the way, this is Blaise. Blaise, this is Cedric. He's my first true friend." the Dementor-child introduced with a shy smile.

Cedric snorted.

"It seems to me, like you've acquired another loyal friend."

Harry blushed and Blaise chuckled. Cedric turned grey eyes on Blaise in a silent question and the Slytherin nodded imperceptibly.

"However, Muerte, we already know each other. He is one of the newer Slytherins in that group I was telling you of earlier. We'll be meeting the others tonight. Blaise, you are welcome to stay if you wish."

Harry turned wide puppy dog eyes on Blaise and the Italian groaned before giving in and nodding. The young soul-eater grinned widely, eyes brightening exponentially. Cedric was momentarily speechless at the sight of it. It wasn't often he was able to see Harry so happy. Regardless, they all sat and began to eat.   
Only Cedric and Blaise were aware of the disgusted looks Harry was getting from the Gryffindors, or the thoughtful looks he was receiving from Slytherin. In a way they both felt sorry for how isolated Harry was. They secretly vowed to themselves to protect Harry religiously if they had to. They needed to watch him more carefully anyways. Cedric had a feeling  that Harry would need to feed soon. There were too many Light people and creatures around. If Harry were forced to feed it would be on one of these and Cedric couldn't risk it.  
 He needed to seclude Harry in a room with himself and maybe another demon. If he could find one. But none resided inside school walls that he could tell. He'd have to do, it seemed. Unless a Dark Wizard with a bad soul came along. That would feed Harry for a month or two. However, Dark wizards were rare among children. Most were still deciding even amongst Dark families.

Most, even in Slytherin, were Nuetral/borderline Dark. Cedric sighed. He knew he could handle Harry for now, but he also knew that it wouldn't last for long. Soon, possibly sooner than he'd like, Harry would require a stronger person to feed from. He just hoped that that person took care of Harry as much as he would. Harry wouldn't always be accepted at Hogwarts. He would need someplace safe to stay.  
Cedric's brow furrowed in concentration as he thought the problem over. Maybe he could talk it over with Atropos? The Dementor Lord seemed to have a soft spot for the little prince, so he could trust Atropos' judgement on the matter.

"Cedric, are you alright?" inquired Harry, gently resting a hand on his arm.

Worry laced his gesture, but slight fear as well. The Shadow Demon smelled it and winced. Inwardly, he growled. Thanks to Dumbledore, those muggle relatives of his had bred fear and self disgust into him. This kind child, hardly knew a kind word and always expected to be punished for being concerned. For wanting to help. Smiling kindly, Cedric placed his larger hand over Harry's, marveling how tiny this thirteen years old really was compared to others his age.

"I was merely thinking. Are you finished? If so I happen to be in your next class and can escort you there. Blaise can meet up with us tonight when I introduce you to the others." 

Blaise nodded at the thinly veiled order. Not many knew that Cedric was second in command, a position he had been granted after saving the life of the leader, who had almost been gang raped by a bunch of Ravenclaws. What was even more astonishing was the Gryffindor who was leading them. Normally Ravenclaws never allowed themselves to be swayed by a brash, reckless lion.  
Cedric, who disliked Gryffindor before, positively loathed them after that night. And no amount of consolation could sway that Slytherin to ever come near either the ravens or the lions after that. He was so paranoid of it happening again he'd recruited bodyguards and appointed Cedric as his right hand man. 

Cedric helped the older male recruit cases like themselves ever since.

Harry nodded with a small smile and stood to give Blaise a tight hug, garnering a look of surprise from the normally stoic snake. He'd never received a hug of love before. Of kindness. Of friendship.  
Blaise fought not to tremble as emotions he was unfamiliar with coursed through his veins. Harry pulled away as if sensing his discomfort and gave him a quick smile before grabbing Cedric's hand and pulling the older teen down the rows of tables to the entrance of the Great Hall. As Blaise watched them leave he felt a soft smile flit across his features, before settling into his normal indifferent mask. He felt,that just maybe,he could follow Harry anywhere.


	5. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you 917brat for your kind words! I plan on working on more of the Bill/Harry story in the next few days so...expect more :3  
> I feel a bit better today, though my eyes still hurt a tad. Anyways. There is mentions of drugs and cutting in this chapter...and although they show up a bit later as well, they aren't as...erm...talked about I guess? Cause I don't want to run it into the ground. Just realize that Harry (when it's not mentioned and when it is) will be using drugs and drinking as a way to fend off some of his urges to feed, until he can.  
> I in no way condone drugs (unless needed) or abuse of alcohol either.  
> Also, this is where we start to see Cedric's jealousy...which really becomes a problem in the second book. Trust me, you guys might actually hate the bugger by the second book oxO
> 
> I hope you guys like it!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own...Any mistakes are mine

Harry stared out the window of the Astronomy Tower and sighed. He was nervous about the meeting tonight. He knew he could be meeting students similar to himself, but still. Would they accept him. Would he be a freak here too? Would he...would he forever be an outcast even amongst outcasts? His anxiety caused him to pull out his potions blade, which he had decided to keep in his pockets after its accuracy, and thumbed its blade. He wouldn't use it. Cedric said he would show him other ways.   
His thoughts were interrupted when Cedric and a tall black haired male walked into the room. Behind them was a gaggle of children in a variety of ages and races, all wearing either Slytherin or Hufflepuff colours. Although a majority were Slytherins. Cedric said that most of the other houses wouldn't admit to having problems. Harry froze, scared regardless of Cedric's constant assurances that it would be alright. But then those calm grey eyes rested on him and he relaxed slightly.

"So this is the child you told me of? The one with Dementors blood through his veins?" came the gentle voice of the tall raven haired male.

Harry gulped as the dark eyes of the leader of this group of misfits turned to him. Cedric motioned for Harry to step closer and his eyes narrowed slightly when he spotted the blade in his small friend's hands, which was quickly slipped into said child's pocket. Harry made his way over and stopped when he was in front of Cedric. The taller male beside Cedric looked him over before snorting. A look of disgust appeared on his face and Harry flinched before shrinking into Cedric's side.  Seeing this reaction the older male's face softened.

"Forgive me, little one. I meant no offense to you. I am ale to see into people's pasts at times. It comes with being an Empath. I don't enjoy it. I was disgusted with everything that I had seen. If I ever come across those relatives I will kill them. No one should treat a child as such." the male paused, a look of understanding in his eyes,"My name is Marcus Flint. I am the leader of this group. Welcome, young Dementor."

With that said, Harry gave Marcus a small smile and then his eyes widened as he was surrounded and introduced to all of the current members. Only two stuck out to him. A Seer named Luna Lovegood. She was a second year Ravenclaw, constantly belittled by her peers and forced to consume copious amounts of pills to deal with her abilities and their inevitable out comes. And of course Blaise. Who was a third year Slytherin who drank himself into comas sometimes, just so he could escape the fact his mother would never acknowledge his existence.  
It was these two he bonded with immediately and Cedric smiled. He was glad that Harry had found friends. When Harry began telling his story, he understood why Marcus had reacted as he had.   
Those low life's! They'd dared to touch a child in such a way? 

After he was finished speaking, a cigarette was placed in Harry's hand, and one of Luna's pills put in his other. Luma smiled kindly after he took the pill and Blaise chuckled when Harry coughed over his first toke; he raised a surprised brow at the easier second drag. After that Harry had no problem smoking and Cedric could tell the drugs were starting to work. Good, with any luck this would tide him over whenever the young Dementor couldn't get his fix. Marcus stepped closer to Cedric, also watching Harry as he interacted with two of the younger members and took a sip out of his flask. Cedric smirked and drew out a pack of wizard cigarettes, popping one in his mouth then placing the packet in his back pocket. He lit up, took a drag, and looked his Slytherin friend over.

"You think he'll be safe here if anything ever happens to me?" Cedric wondered aloud, smiling softly when Luna dragged Harry and Blaise to the Astronomy Tower window.

Marcus snorted and took another swallow from his flask. His eyes softened as they traveled over the younger teen who seemed to be having fun with his new friends. What he'd seen of Harry's past had been confirmed when the thirteen years old had told Luna and Blaise of his younger years. He hadn't realized how close their family lives had been. Who would have guessed that the boy-who-lived had been so thoroughly neglected. So hideously abused.

"I doubt any of us will allow him to be completely alone ever again. Even if he lost you, he'd still have us. Or any new recruit. Inadvertently, I heard a mass murderer was after him. Poor lad. If it isn't his own house it's a psycho killer."

Cedric nodded, face cold. Yes he'd have to deal with those Gryffindors soon. No one messed with Harry with out facing the consequences. And the thought of this Sirius Black that might try to harm his little Dementor friend, bothered him as well. He'd investigate that more closely later. He could get Luna to help as he could tell that the blonde had a soft spot already for the green eyed teen. She'd want to help keep him safe. And if this Sirius Black was a threat then he would take him out. Returning his attention to Marcus, Cedric smiled grimly.

"The Dementors have promised to keep him safe. He's curried favor with one of the Lords. I'll look into this mass murderer business. However, it smells heavily of cover-up. I don't like it, Marcus. Can you have some Slytherins keep an eye out for the Gryffindors and Dumbledore? He seems to be allowing the lions to spread nasty rumors about Harry."

Marcus rolled his eyes but nodded and Cedric took one more drag of his cigarette before snuffing it out beneath his shoe. They watched with amusement as Harry straddled Blaise's lap as he reached for the flask in said wizard's hand that was held just out of reach. Harry pouted and instead wiggled a bit in Blaise's lap, causing the Italian to blush and quickly hand the flask over. Marcus outright laughed, making several heads turn in shock. It was rare that the normally cold Slytherin allowed himself to laugh. Unbeknownst to Harry, even more people vowed to protect him, if only because he made it possible for their leader to feel happy again. 

Cedric's eyes slitted in annoyance. Harry blushed and hid in Blaise's chest as he snuck sips from the silver flask. Luna cooed gently and ran her hands through his black hair even as Blaise ran comforting hands along his sides. Cedric felt a small twinge of jealousy but quickly squashed it as a blissful smile crept across the young wizard's face. Although he wanted to be the one Harry was snuggling right then, he knew with a smug sense of joy that Harry would come to him for the final say-so. The final all consuming comfort that the Dementor in him needed. Cedric smirked and Marcus, who spotted it, rolled his eyes.

"He's got you good, hasn't he Diggory?" commented the Empath dryly.

Cedric scoffed, but neither denied nor acknowledged the comment. Instead he noticed how soft Harry looked, comfortable for what had to be the first time in his life.

"He'll need to feed soon. If it happens and I'm not around I need one of our group to get him to me or he might suck a soul from the nearest person. If its a Light wizard that would be bad."

Marcus nodded.

"I can have my older Slytherins help Blaise and Luna keep an eye out. I know you'll watch over him as much as you can but I have a feeling that once the headmaster really notices, if he hasn't already, you can expect some interference."

Cedric nodded as well, with a sigh of irritation.

"Yeah. I'll be ready. That old goat has subtly destroyed my family's reputation for years."

Marcus took a sip of his flask once more before handing the Shadow Demon some. The Hufflepuff shook his head and made his way over to Harry who had begun to fall asleep on Blaise's lap, a faint blush on his cheeks.

"Ready to go to bed, Muerte?"

Harry blinked at his friend and secret crush. Or maybe not so secret as Luna and Blaise had both interrogated him by the window. His vision was slightly blurry. He took off his glasses and his eyesight improved but not by much. Cedric noticed his confusion and chuckled.

"That would be because of your Dementor powers. Your creature has begun healing your eyes. As to why they are blurry now, that would be because of the alcohol you've consumed."

Harry scrunched up his nose and stuck out his tongue.

"How come you know so much?"

Luna snickered.

"He's just observant, love. That's all. Now you should sleep so that the Nargles aren't able to bother you." she commented kindly, stroking his hair again.

Harry nodded and stood slowly, before turning a grateful smile to both Blaise and Luna, two new friends that he never thought he'd have. People who saw Harry and not his fame.

"Thank you."

They smiled back.

"Thank you as well, Harry." Luna replied.

Cedric chuckled, waving goodbye to Marcus and the other students, then swooped Harry up in a bridal style hold as he went down the tower steps and through the corridors that led to Hufflepuff. Cedric marveled at how light the teen was as he continued walking. Harry nuzzled Cedric's chest, feeling content. He had never known what being cared for really entailed until today. And it was all thanks to the Hufflepuff that was holding him so carefully.

"Thank you, Cedric. Thank you for caring for someone like me."

Cedric snorted.

"What did I tell you about that?"

Harry looked away and bit his lips at the hint of disappointment in Cedric's voice.

"I'm sorry."

Cedric sighed and rubbed his cheek against the dementor's, sending out waves of his Shadow Magic, making sure that Harry knew he wasn't mad.

"I know it's a hard habit to break. But you are special, Muerte. Special to me at least. Now as to your previous statement, you are welcome. You deserve some happiness in your life." Cedric replied with a soft smile.

Harry smiled tiredly back but relaxed against his crush's chest.

"Will I be sleeping in your dorm again tonight?"

"Yes, although I will be leaving shortly after you settle in. I have something I must see to."

Harry worried his bottom lip but nodded, clutching at his savior's shirt.

"Be careful, Ced."

Cedric smirked, his eyes darkening in pleasure at the nickname.

"I will."

\----

Cedric stalked the halls, his senses reaching out to find his prey. He knew the little brat was out after hours. One of his Slytherin spies had over heard a conversation that stated his prey would be out late, hoping to catch Harry off guard to 'show him how much of a whore he was.'  
Needless to say, Cedric had been livid when he'd found out. He had kept a calm front up for Harry's benefit but now that Harry was in bed, Ron would find out just how foolish it was to poke an irate Shadow Demon.

Turning the corner, where his powers were leading him, he sneered at the thought of the sniveling human. The red head was getting out of hand. Cedric had to make sure that the idiot got it right this time. Messing with Harry was a death sentence alright. But not in the way Ronald Weasley ever imagined.   
He wondered how Harry would react when he found out? The Shadow Demon's senses blared at him, screaming that they had found his target. Cedric was practically salivating at the chance to feast on this low life.  
Feasting on his fear would be so tastey. And then he could return to Harry and comfort him, showing him what a complete gem he was.  
Maybe he could invite the teen over for the holidays? He'd talk to his father about it. He knew that, because of Harry's family life, his father would snatch Harry up quicker than the teen could say Quidditch.

Cedric smirked and rounded yet another corner before pausing. Walking down the hallways from the opposite end of the corridor was his target. The Shadow Demon hissed slightly, his anger spiking. This cretin /dare/ threaten what was his? Hearing the hiss, Ron stopped short, eyes widening upon seeing Cedric. Then his eyes narrowed.

"Well if it isn't Potter's pimp. I was hoping to procure his services. Think you could set that up for me?" the red head sneered haughtily.

Cedric growled and stalked forward, roughly gripping the collar of the red head and shoving him against the wall. He brought his face close to Ron's, lips bared back, showing off his pointed teeth as his inner demon raged.  
Ron had the decency to look fearful for a split second before that insufferable Gryffindor brashness took hold. The red head sneered at him angrily, gripping the hand that held his collar in a vague, unintelligible attempt to free himself.

"I told you once before to watch what you say, blood traitor. Harry is not a whore. And even if he were it would be none of your concern. This is your last warning. If I hear you so much as looked at Harry wrong, your life will be forfeit." Cedric snapped his teeth menacingly in Ron's face.

"Is that so? Well he seems to enjoy bottoming for the rest of the school, why not me as well?"

Cedric's eyes morphed with a rage he didn't think he had ever felt before. It was a rage that could destroy a person's soul if no relief was found. The kind of burning anger that fueled the Avada Kedavra curse at its best. Cedric felt his fangs lengthening in response to his hate for the child before him. Ron whimpered, trembling in the older male's hold.

"Vampire!" Ron breathed as an answer and Cedric tisked in disgust.

Such a  waste of space. He tightened his hold on the struggling Gryffindor for a moment before dropping him. His hatred shone through his darkened grey eyes and he scowled.

"Stay away from Harry, Weasel. I won't hold back if you do something to him. Not anymore."

With that the Hufflepuff stalked away, sneering in distaste. He needed to immerse himself in the presence of Harry again. Being around that idiot had caused his insides to roil unpleasantly. He smiled softly at the thought of Harry fussing over him to see if he was safe.   
Regardless if the fact Harry was tipsy, he knew that the Dementor would be thrilled at his returned presence. He wasn't disappointed.

Back in the hallway, where the confrontation had taken place moments before, a rat paced; beady eyes narrowed in concentration. It had to take this new knowledge to its master. However what he'd found couldn't be completely confirmed yet, so with a sigh of resignation he trudged back to his owner in Gryffindor Tower. Soon that would change though. When his Master regained power he would be rewarded handsomely. Then people like Harry Potter and that Hufflepuff vampire wouldn't exist. The rat cackled at the thought as he settled into Ronald Weasley's bed. The red head was fast asleep.


	6. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: hey guys! As promised here's the next chapter! A lot of stuff happening...and a bit of a cliff hanger? Maybe? I dunno! Lol! Also Severus is a Sex Demon incase people need a translation :3
> 
> Hope you enjoy
> 
> Disclaimer: don't own. But I do own this heartburn. Anyone else want it.

Chapter 5-

Days later, many people marveled at the changes in Harry's appearance. Gone were the clunky glasses and oversized clothing. In its place was clothing that pure bloods wore, his eyes of Avada Kedavra green sparkling with a new light. His posture more laid back and his face a carefully controlled mask. He drank and smoked regularly now, only downing the occasional pill when he was really stressed. His frequency with cutting had dimmed but only until he'd completely mastered the basic healing charms Blaise was teaching him. His days were spent in class making good grades, and his nights filled with drinking and finding new things out about his three friends, as well as them learning more about him.  
Cedric had said that tonight he would need to feed. Harry would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous, which was why he'd had Luna slip him a pill when he say with her at her table. The other Ravenclaws didn't sit anywhere near the blonde so there was plenty of room for Blaise and Cedric when the two showed up for lunch.

Taking a bite of his ripe strawberry, Harry eyed Luna as she showed him how to charm his flask to pout out water for anyone other than himself. Harry chewed as he memorized both the new spell and the wand movements, then removed his flask -a gift from Blaise- from his robes and cast the spell. He accomplished the task on the first try. He beamed.

"Thanks, Luna!" He exclaimed, hugging the younger blonde to his chest, missing the soft look she gave him.

The young dementor was like a brother to her. She would stand by him no matter what.

"It was no problem, Harry. You really are brilliant at spell work. I think you're even better than that annoying know-it-all Granger." She replied softly, earning her a look of shock.

He caught himself before he slipped into self recriminating thoughts and gave her another hug of gratitude. That was something Cedric had begun to drill into his head. The way he'd gone about doing that was telling Harry about why he'd joined the group.

-flashback-

"You see, Harry, I know what it's like to be called worthless. To have your very existence called into question. My mother was so kind and gentle. She was a jewel even among Shadow Demons. My father loved his mate dearly and she loved us both so much. One day, while father and I were at the Ministry, called there by Minister Fudge's owl, an Auror broke into our home, beat, raped, and killed my mother. Dad and I were on our way home when we saw smoke billowing out of our house up the road from our apparition point. We rushed to save mother but it was too late. Apparently, the letter from the Minister was a distraction while an Auror, on Dumbledore's pay roll, eliminated my mother. He won't admit to being behind it but we know different. Since then those laws banning Shadow Demons from doing pretty much anything began popping up. Dad and I have had to disguise ourselves ever since. I drink and smoke to quell the urges I have to bring Dumbledore to his knees and kill him." Cedric ran a hand through Harry's hair as he lay on Cedric's lap. 

Those green eyes were wide with remembered pain as well as new understanding for his first true friend. He wanted to show Cedric that he understood, so he told his story.

"My uncle first started molesting me when I was five and my aunt wouldn't put out. He's stopped recently but I think I'm getting too old for him. Thankfully. However, Dudley and his friends take every chance they can to beat the fact I'm a worthless whore into my head." Harry informed, unaware of the fact that Cedric already knew.

Cedric leaned down and bit Harry on the ear, causing the teen to arch his back and groan at the pleasure/pain.

"You are /not/ a whore. And even if you were, you would never be worthless in my eyes. I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you, that you were special. I am honored to be your friend." Cedric murmured heatedly around the appendage still caught between his teeth. 

Harry writhed, caught between his pleasure and his pain. He didn't know what to do but he knew he wanted to know more of this delicious feeling.

"Do you like this, Muerte? Do you enjoy my teeth on your skin?"

Harry moaned and nodded dazedly realizing that Cedric was feeding him some of his Shadow Magic. It felt so good to be wrapped up in Cedric's magic. Cedric chuckled darkly and gently kissed down the teen's neck, which tilted to give him better access.

"W-what are we Cedric?" Asked Harry, with a slight whimper.

He was afraid of losing his friendship over a silly crush that may or may not be returned. Cedric gazed at him fondly before leaning in and giving Harry a tender kiss on his lips. Harry gasped allowing Cedric's tongue to involve his mouth and map out all it's nooks and crannies. The dementor child moaned and gripped at Cedric's shirt, shivering with the intensity if his emotions. When Cedric finally broke for air, he nearly moaned aloud at the sight Harry made.

"For now we are merely trying this out. I care about you a lot, but I want you to be sure that /I/ am what /you/ want before we take our relationship further."

Harry furrowed his brows in thought. He understood what Cedric was getting at however the thought of Cedric dating someone else...caused his stomach to clench. Sensing his confusion, Cedric smiled reassuringly and kissed the teen again.

"Don't worry. I can wait for you. I'm only interested in you right now."

"But what if that changes? What if you won't want me?"

Cedric scoffed. He nipped Harry's chin, drawing a startled yelp from the by beneath him.

"I will always be drawn to you. How about this. I'll give you to the end of this school year to make up your mind, ok?"

Chewing on his lip, Harry nodded. He didn't like it, but he'd do it for Cedric. They drifted onto a different topic but Cedric's work was done. Soon, he knew- no matter how many partners Harry had before himself, that Harry was his.  
It made his inner demon purr in pleasure.

-end of flashback-

Turning his attention back to the present, Harry gave Luna a timid grin and began eating again, every now and then taking sips from his flask. What he really wanted was a cigarette, but the pill and alcohol would do for now.   
He was halfway through his plate if fruit before Cedric and Blaise made their appearance. It had been decided a few days after first meeting his new friends that they would take turns sitting at each other's tables, and sleeping in each other's dorms. That way Dumbledore could say nothing to Harry.  
After all, he was employing house unity. This of course wouldn't prevent the old codger from starting things with the other students to make it less bearable, but they'd cross that bridge when they reached it. As of now it was Luna's turn and as the boys sat,both on Harry's right, Harry gave them welcoming grins.

"How was DADA?" Harry queried cautiously. 

Cedric rolled his eyes while Blaise snorted.

"The teacher's a Werewolf." Blaise stated, biting into a piece of chicken.

Luna nodded as if she'd known all along (knowing her, she probably had) and Harry's eyes widened in fear. 

"Will this be a problem?"

Cedric eyed his plate before putting a comforting arm around Harry, drawing him close and laying a gentle kiss on his temple. Harry melted into his side and nuzzled his savior's shoulder.

"No. He may be able to smell what you are but he won't be bale to act against you. I'll make sure of it."

Harry frowned, remembering what the Shadow Demon had said he'd done to Ron.

"Ced...I don't want you getting in trouble for me." He whispered.

Cedric scowled and in uncharacteristic fierceness, he leaned down and kissed him. Harry moaned and leaned in closer. After a few minutes of hot making out, Cedric pulled away and swiftly gave one last kiss to Harry's nose before smirking.

"I would do anything for you, Muerte. So don't worry. It takes more than a Werewolf to kill or even hurt a Shadow Demon." He stated, teasingly brushing his lips against Harry's before chuckling and drawing away.

Luna hummed happily while Blaise merely stifled a blush before looking away. That snog had blatantly stated to anyone caring to watch that Harry belonged to Cedric. Whether Harry liked it or not. Although it didn't seem like he minded too much by the way he was practically melded to Cedric's side. Harry was oblivious to his friends musings, so focused was he on the gentle circles that Cedric was rubbing in his side.

"I'm surprised he's back to teaching so soon. He would have just gotten over sickness from changing." Luna stated, idly running a hand through her long hair.

Harry's brow furrowed.

"I have his class next."

He has to admit he was worried. What if the Werewolf attacked the people he had begun to hold dear? He really didn't care about if he was hurt. Although he had a feeling that the people surrounding him would have a problem with it.  
Cedric seemed it sense his emotions and as always wrapped him in a calming blanker if his magic. Harry sighed. Alone with the magic he could feel the pills and alcohol taking effect. Harry smiled and tapped Luna on the nose, his way of telling her that the meds had started to work. At that point Cedric reached into Harry's robes and took his flask away, putting it inside his own robe as a precaution.  
Harry hasn't learned his limit yet and Cedric was still wary about how much he ingested until he had. Harry felt languid as he and the others finished their lunch and then stood to leave the Great Hall. Once they were out the door Cedric and Blaise offered to escort Harry and Luna to DADA, since second and third years were sharing a class, Harry beamed and Luna gave them her typical dreamy smile. Amidst the stares of their peers, they walked to the Defense classroom and Harry spun to Cedric, wrapping his arms around the Shadow Demon's waist and burying his head in the taller male's chest once they were there.

"Have fun with the wolf, Muerte."

Harry snickered, buzzing pleasantly on his high.

"Of course. As long as he leaves me alone." Replied Harry in a small playful voice.

Teasing Cedric and the others, was still so new to him. He still expected a harsh word and punishing hand. Cedric, however, merely raised an amused brow and ruffled Harry's hair, grey eyes gazing fondly at the teen he was growing to love.

"Brat. Go to class. I'll be here to pick you up after its finished and we'll go to Care together." He stated softly, trailing a tender hand down the dementor child's cheek

Harry relaxed, knowing that he was ok, and stuck out his tongue. The door to the class opened and students started filing in. It was at that time that the teacher, standing in the center of the class room, spun around; his eyes wide and nose twitching. 

"Students! Down!" He yelled and threw a Patronus at the doorway.

Cedric couldn't react fast enough to completely push Harry our of the way in time. It ended up hitting the left side of Harry's face and chest, causing the teen to fall to the ground, screaming in pain. Cedric roared in rage and multiple wands pointed at the teacher at once. Three of which were Luna's-whose eyes were abnormally cold as she cradled Harry's head in her lap; Blaise's- whose very demeanor screamed a Pureblood's rage; Cedric's- whose eyes had darkened to near black as he brought his body in front of Harry's acting as a shield.  
There were multiple Slytherins who had been walking to their classes who had seen the attack on the young dementor, with their wands pointed at the teacher as well. Remus Lupin, who could have sworn he'd smelled a dementor, appeared both confused and horrified at the still screaming child on the floor. When he realized just who he'd hit, his face paled. He'd hit Lily's child. Harry. Oh shite. His amber eyes met the raged grey-black of the student in front of the fallen teen and his wolf nearly reared back in panic. He was in trouble. In danger.

"Luna. Blaise. Take Harry to the infirmary. Make sure he's healed. If she gives you trouble, come and get me. I'll take care of it." Cedric snapped angrily.

Both nodded and Blaise picked up Harry even as Luna held the now half conscious child's hand. Cedric trained his eyes on the wolf again before motioning to a random Slytherin, who lowered his wand and moved closer to Cedric.

"Get Professor Snape. I think he'd love to know that a teacher attacked a student."

The Slytherin, one Draco Malfoy, smirked, nodded, and then swiftly swept down the hall and around the corner. Ten minutes later, in which Remus Lupin shifted nervously and many of the students in his class had fled the room for their common rooms, Severus Snape with Draco Malfoy in tow, turned the corner and stalked towards the DADA classroom. His eyes and face a stoic mask. Although if one looked closely you could see the manic look of triumph that flashed briefly in the potions master's eyes.  
Cedric's inner demon purred its pleasure. This part of his vengeance would be handled. The dark haired Slytherin turned his eyes to Cedric, one eyebrow raised in inquiry.

Cedric scoffed but motioned to the professor of DADA, his wand still firmly trained at said Werewolf. Severus' lip thinned.

"What happened here?" Came the drawled question and Draco stepped forward.

"The Defense Professor yelled at the students to duck and then fired a Patronus charm at Potter for no reason at all. Diggory had Blaise and Lovegood take him to Madame Pomfrey."

Severus' eyes narrowed.

"What for? That charm only harms-" he paused in thought and then his eyes widened and he turned his attention to Cedric.

"Yes professor, he is. And now he's badly burned on his left side. I didn't move him fast enough." Cedric replied but was interrupted by rushing footsteps.

"CEDRIC!" Came Blaise's shout, looking panicked. Uncharacteristically so. It caused Cedric to tense.

"Harry?"

"Pomfrey won't completely heal him. Said Dumbledore told her all about Harry's so called inner evil. Said if he wants to be healed he'll have to do it the muggle way as that's all he deserves. She's blocked off his section and left!"

Cedric's power fluctuated in his anger and he turned his attention back to Remus.

"You better hope Harry survives. That I can get him the help he needs. Or you are a dead wolf." He growled, making those in his presence tremble in fear. He was beyond livid right now. And he had a hunch that no amount of wizard medications would help Harry at the moment. That meant only a dementor could heal him. Shite.

"Blaise go back to Luna. I'll get the help Muerte needs. Until then do what you must to make sure no further harm comes to him." Blaise nodded and rushed away. Cedric returned his attention to his Potions Master and quirked a brow," I trust you can keep your new found knowledge silent?"

The snarky man appeared offended with the insinuation that he couldn't keep his mouth shut but never the less, nodded.

"For good measure I will see to out little beast problem. Will the child be alright?" The potions professor inquired softly,' Both of us know what he'll need now."

Cedric's nostrils flared and he sent his magics out to taste Snape's. His eyes widened before narrowing as he pondered whatever new information he had managed to glean from the dark pillar of man before him. Slowly he nodded.

"He will be fine, Lytis Demon. I know someone who can help him. However if you are done with this fleabag before I find Harry some help it would be nice if you could help Blaise and Luna set up a protective ward or two."

Snape, whose eyes had reflected the shock he felt at his student calling out his true self, slowly bowed his head in respect of the thinly veiled command. This child in front of him was a Shadow Demon. His kind respected the Shadow Demons. They were like the guardians of Otherworld and no one wished to get on a Shadow Demon's bad side, not even a child. The fact that this one had taken a keen interest in a dementor, meant that he had better keep his eyes open. Something was happening. Inwardly, Severus smirked as Cedric glared at the Werewolf once more.

"Do not worry about his punishment. You should find the child some of that help. He might get an infection if you don't hurry."

Cedric snorted, but lowered his wand and walked towards the end of the hallway that would take him to Hogwarts' front gates; ignoring the onyx and silver eyes that watched his retreat. 

"I think it would be in our best interests to either help Mr. Potter or leave him alone, Draco." Informed Severus as he returned his attention to the still trembling professor and wordlessly dismissed the mailing Slytherins.

Draco nodded his head that he understood, however his eyes showed how very interesting he found the whole situation. Severus couldn't help but agree. He didn't think he'd leave the young dementor alone now either. But he wouldn't do more than observe and help when he could for now. With that thought firmly in mind, Severus turned to one of his childhood tormentors with a feral grin.

"Couldn't get enough of attacking children when we were younger, Lupin? Well let's see if you'll learn your lesson this time?"

Remus shivered in real fear and followed Severus as he lead the way to the headmaster's office.

-end of five


	7. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: oh man is a new chapter? I believe it is! Well anyways. I hope you guys can forgive me...I hadn't meant to take so long. I was sick...tired...taking care of my husband who is also sick...and I haven't really had much time for typing...  
> I hope you like the new chapter though...Cedric is really starting to show how jealous he is. Also, the reason why Harry stops feeling pain is because the Sex magic and Dementor magics have dulled it.   
> Anyways. Enjoy!

Harry arched off of the bed in pain. It surrounded him. Why wasn't anyone making him better? Why weren't there any potions being pumped into him? Where was Cedric? Cedric would help. His savior always helped him.

"Luna, I don't know how much more of this Harry can handle."

"Cedric is getting help."

Voices. So many voices. Loud and soft voices. He screamed. Make it stop! Please! It hurts!

"Shh! Harry we're here. Cedric's getting help."

"Brought him help. I take it Severus came by?"

Hearing that soothing voice, Harry whimpered, tears and blood pouring down his cheeks. He opened his eyes and found his vision was slightly blurry.

"Yes. He strengthened the wards so that no one but who Harry trusts may enter the vicinity. Who is this then?" That sounded like Blaise's voice.

"Don't worry about it for now. You two have to leave. He needs to be alone with Harry. Even I must leave if only to better ward the door. We'll stand guard there."

Luna and Blaise nodded. Each brushed a hand gently through Harry's hair, then left. Only Cedric and the stranger remained. Harry whimpered again before the familiar trickle of Cedric's magic washed over him. He still felt the pain but inside he felt loads better; safer.

"Cedric! I hurt all over. Why am I in so much pain?" He felt like sobbing so he turned his face away. He was hideous now. Even more of a freak. Now Cedric wouldn't want him.

"The spell the wolf used was a Patronus. It's basically a large bundle of light that was just thrown at you. It was a good thing he was so weak. His Patronus didn't hurt you as much as it could have."

Harry shivered, his side hurting once more.

"I can't trust anyone on the Light side can I?"

"No, Muerte. It seems not." Whispered the Shadow Demon sadly. His poor little dementor. Speaking of dementors. Cedric sighed and motioned to the man beside him to step towards the bed. "Harry, I brought someone who will help you. You remember Atropos? He's here to heal you completely, or as much as he can. He said you might scar a little."

Harry looked to the stranger, now identified as Atropos, and squinted until he came into focus. He gasped. Atropos was sexy in his human form! Atropos was tall and muscular. The tight clothes he wore offset by his long flowing black robes, gave him a look of infinite grace. His face was set in a stoic mask but his features were aristocratic, showing evidence of his royal blood. His hair was shoulder length and wavy. It was no surprise to Harry that his hair was black. What /was/ a surprise was that his eyes were almost an identical green to his own. He wondered if it was hereditary or just a mark of his kind. Suffice it to say, Harry was impressed. He blushed and looked away. Very impressed.

"Hello, little death. I apologize that we were forced to meet under such circumstances."

Harry winced and nodded.

"I'm sorry too. I'm sure you have more important things to do."

Atropos frowned. He did not like where his young one's thoughts were going. He suddenly hissed, sensing the words that echoes in his little death's mind. Who put such thoughts in his head?

"Who put words such as 'freak' and 'whore' in my little death's head?" He demanded, his dementor powers leaking out, causing Harry to arch off the bed with a heated moan that made both men twitch.

Cedric growled at the question, irked that Atropos got a swifter reaction from Harry than himself.

"His relatives. And his peers here at school."

The Dementor Lord was going to change such thoughts. Atropos let his magic permeate the room even more and then placed his hands to Harry's chest. He gave Cedric a look and the Shadow Demon bowed his head before casting a quick loving glance at Harry, a glare at the Dementor Lord, and then left.  
Meanwhile, Harry was writhing and gasping. All he felt was extreme pleasure as it coursed through his veins. It was like when he was being fed, only his skin was being rebuilt. He wanted more. He needed more. He locked gazes with his kin and moaned wantonly when Atropos moved closer.

"Please," he whimpered, wanting this dominant to consume him. To fill him. He wanted the deep happiness that Atropos had gathered. He wanted to feel whole.

Atropos grinned like a wolf, showing two rows of pearly white pointed teeth. His eyes raged with lust and Harry felt as if his brain short circuited.

"What do you want, little death?" He moved his hand down the young dementor's chest, ghosting over the teen's stomach and finally resting on the boy's covered semi-erect cock. 

Atropos shivered. He hadn't told either male this when he'd first met both Harry and Cedric, but Harry was his mate. And the thought of him pleasing his mate made him hard. He moaned when Harry arched towards his hand.

"Do you want me to touch you? Or so you want me to feed you while I touch you?" He purred and marveled at how very sensitive his mate was to his magic. 

Harry moaned loudly and gripped at Atropos' hand, unknowing that most of his burns had been healed thanks to the partial feeding and the older dementor's magics. Really, he didn't care what Atropos did, as long as it felt this good. The thought of those teeth on him didn't scare him a bit.

"Everything. Please, Atropos."

The elder dementor growled and crawled on to the hospital bed. He let his magic's tether go and moved his hand into Harry's pants and covered the halfbreed's erection with his larger hand.   
Harry desperately kissed back, drinking in the happiness, the joy, that Atropos had stored in his body. He had never felt so alive. S wanted. It was brilliant! It was like being high, drunk, on numerous drugs, hyper off coffee, and eating one too many pieces of candy all at once. And then Atropos began doing those things with his tongue...and his hand. Oh gawd!

"Please, more!" He breathed, arching up again into the tantalizing touch of this gorgeous man.

He wished for this Dark Creature to keep him. There was something about Atropos that caused his heart to flutter and his body to become hot. Atropos grinned again, his teeth gleaming as he trailed kisses down the little dementor's chest. 

"I can't take you completely ,little death. Not yet. But as I'd like to have a taste of you before your little Shadow Demon, I think I'll indulge myself a little." He stated as he laved his tongue against the patch of skin just beneath Harry's belly button. Harry whimpered, trying to talk to the Dementor Lord above him through his haze of pleasently feelings.

"Cedric said I -ah- have until the end of school year to make up my mind on whether or not we'll be together." He finally got out amidst a few moans.

Atropos' answering smile was all sly teeth as a deep rumbling chuckle bubbled out of the older creature's chest. He undid Harry's robe and opened up the boy's pants, noting with amusement that the child went commando, and took Harry's rather sizable (for a 13 year old anyways) erection into his larger hand. The silky texture of the prized flesh almost had him salivating and he nearly purred at the sound of Harry's needy moan as he began to stroke.

"Well then. I'm glad I get to taste you first, Little Death."

"You aren't just taking what you want, then leaving me too, are you?" Asked the raven haired teen timidly.

Atropos inwardly snarled at the distrust. Somehow he would convince his mate to sit back and watch the worlds who'd hurt him burn. Harry belonged with his kin in Otherworld. Not here. Although, Atropos thought with an inward sigh, Harry will insist on bringing his friends.   
Finally Atropos returned his attention to his little mate and smiled softly; reassuringly.

"No, little death. I am not using you. I am very much attracted to you."

"But I'm thirteen and you're like...old."

Atropos laughed and Harry blinked owlishly at how pure it sounded.

"Yes. I am over a thousand of your human years to be exact. But in dementor terms I am still very young. I am merely the age of your potions professor, in Otherworld."

Harry's eyes widened. He was about to let a very old dementor molest his crotch. Mentally the halfbreed shrugged. Eh. He could live with that. After all, he had a crush on said potions master who was old enough to be his father, a crush on Cedric who was older by a few years or so, and was interested in Atropos, who now stated he was older than all of them combined...by a lot. He could live with the other two screwing him and dominating him, so why not Atropos. That decided, Harry wiggled a little, calling attentions to his still full erection.

"Well? What are you waiting for, old man?" Harry teased, knowing instinctively that Atropos wouldn't hurt him. Would find the teasing funny.

Atropos raised a brow and, quick as a snake, engulfed Harry's erection in hot velvet. Harry screamed and arched his back, gripping Atropos' hair tightly in his hands. He arched again as Atropos added to the overload of senses by spiking his powers.

"A-Atropos!" He cried out, not noticing how said creature's eyes dilated and glowed with pleasure at hearing his name spoken thus. Atropos quickened his pace.

Not much longer now. Harry was a virgin after all. Tracing a finger against his little death's entrance was all it took for Harry to come, shooting seed down Atropos' throat and screaming said creature's name. And for the first time, Atropos came in his pants without having to touch himself, all because of the taste of his mate on his tongue. It astounded him really. He'd never lost control like that. And he'd had numerous sexual partners.

"That was great!" Harry stated, with all the enthusiasm of someone who'd discovered something new.

Atropos chuckled. Besides looking tired, Harry was completely healed. A combination of Sex magic and the Dementor magics. And now that Atropos had had a taste of his mate, he had to agree. He would get more too. He knew that Harry wouldn't be able to resist. Neither would he. He hoped the Shadow Demon liked to share. If not, oh well. He'd get over it.

"Indeed it was, little death. Now you should rest. Your body is healed but you'll still need to recharge so to speak." Replied Atropos as he crawled up his little mate's body.

He locked lips with his lover and felt Harry sigh in contentment with the action. The kiss was soft and caring, proving to Harry that Atropos really wasn't using him. He relaxed, feeling sleep drag at him.

"Stay with me Atropos?"

"Till your dying breath, little death."

With a small smile Harry drifted off, unaware of the eyes that watched him.

"He'll have two mates you know. Due to him being a halfbreed."

Cedric stepped from the shadows as the Dementor Lord situated both himself and Harry under the hospital covers. The Shadow Demon in question's expression, or rather lack thereof, twisted into a malevolent glare.

"I am aware. Are you so sure that one of them is you?" Snapped Cedric angrily. He really didn't like sharing. Especially when it came to Harry.

Atropos raised an unperturbed brow and merely continued to feed Harry in his sleep. The teen in question snuggled closer to Atropos with another contented smile. Although Cedric hated to admit it, Harry did look more at peace.

"Yes. I am. He isn't yet magically mature enough to call the other mate's attention to himself yet. But if he has lovers before then is no concern of mine. As long as his lovers realize that I am here to stay." Atropos stated, tenderly brushing away some of the locks from Harry's face.

Softly the dementor hissed a curse in his native tongue. Sensing something was wrong, Cedric moved closer and tisked at what he saw. A small strip of scar tissue from Harry's jaw to his collar bone still remained. It was the only spot that hadn't healed. 

"We'll tell him that it's a reminder for how untrustworthy the Light side can be." Cedric stated firmly, knowing he and Atropos would have to calm the teen when he saw it.

Atropos nodded with a scowl.

"When next that werewolf leaves Hogwarts grounds I will feed heavily from him. He will pay for this marking of my mate." Snarled the older male.

Cedric nodded, grey eyes narrowed.

"I have set up a barrier alongside Severus'. You should be able to stay until Harry wakes up. Make sure he's with us before you leave please." 

With that the Shadow Demon left as silently as he'd arrived. Atropos rolled his eyes.

"Youngsters." He muttered, and settled down next to his lover for some sleep.


	8. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm sorry guys! My husband has family members dropping off the face of the planet and I've been doing art commissions...soooo I've been stressed and busy. I'm so sorry! But I have this one out for you guys :3  
> And it's super long...so maybe it makes up for it?  
> It's a bit of Ced jealousy....and Sev discovering something without realizing it...see if you can pick up on the hint I've left xD  
> I love you all! Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own. But I do own my new colored pencils...take that!

One Month Later-

Harry twirled the string of his cloak as he sat in History of Magic. With a grimace he ignored the looks of his peers as they all stared at the scar tissue that was slightly visible above the collar of his shirt. It had been a month and yet they all still stared; all still whispered. In History of Magic it was worse. He had no one to divert the attention to. None of his friends were in this class, and none of the people from their group were either. He was alone. In a room with Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, throwing him dirty looks and passing notes back and forth between his classmates. Thankfully, he was sitting at the back of the class so no one actively bothered him, but the constant looks of pity and disgust were grating on his nerves. So it was with a sigh of relief, that when the bell rang for them to be dismissed from class, he quickly gathered his things and left out of the room.  
He was halfway to the library, as it was a free period and he and Luna has some research to do for Potions, when he was stopped by a hand to his shoulder. He yelped when he was then pinned against a nearby wall by a tall broad shouldered male. Harry's eyes rounded as he took in his assailant's appearance.  
Wiry dirty blond hair, closely cropped against a handsome face. Hazel eyes exuded smug confidence as the male leaned forward and nuzzled Harry's ear.

"Hello, chickadee. Someone told me that you were available for a good time. I'm very interested I must admit." The older wizard purred, making Harry stiffen.

He was scared, but underneath that, there was this burning rage that ignighted with in him.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Now if you'd please mmmph!" Harry had attempted to move around the hulk of a brute but was pushed against the wall again and chapped rough lips were pressed against his.

He struggled, he really did, but pushing at a wall of muscle was like trying to move a brick wall. Why was this guys doing this? What right did he have to do this? To think he would just bed him because rumor said it?

"What do you think you are doing?" An enraged voice demanded, and Harry shivered as Shadow Magics washed over him. 

The brute pulled away with a loud smack and he glared at Cedric as the Hufflepuff strolled towards them, anger roiling off of his form.

"Diggory."

"McLaggen."

"I was merely propositioning your trick. I heard from a reliable source that this little morsel has put out for half of Slytherin. He's attractive. So I wanted in on the action." The older Gryffindor sneered.

Cedric snarled and used his powers to push McLaggen away from this little Muerte.

"I don't know who you think you are Cormac, but you can get such thoughts out of your head. He's mine and mine alone, no matter what that red haired bastard hinted at." He snapped and advanced on the two of them, positioning his body in front of Harry's.

"Cedric he just-"

"Shut up."

Harry blinked in shock, startled at the abruptness of the Shadow Demon's dismissal. He fought off the instinctive hurt and instead backed off, sliding away from both men. Cormac found it funny, laughing loudly at the discord between them, caused by his little make out session.

"Whatever you say, Diggory." He gave Harry a lingering look and then smirked before walking off in a smug saunter.

As soon as McLaggen was gone, Cedric spun around, rage in his grey eyes and a roar of rage leaving his lips. Harry squeaked in fear and did his best to flatten himself against the wall.

"How dare you let him touch you!"

"I didn't do it on purpose Ced! I swear! He just jumped me! Please don't be angry!"

The older male stilled, blinking at the fear that radiated from his little dementor. Instantly his eyes softened and he cautiously stepped forward, arms outstretched placatingly. 

"I'm sorry, Muerte. I didn't mean to yell at you. It's just seeing you two like that..." He trailed off as the younger male nodded slowly and pulled closer to his lover.

"I-it's ok, Ced. Can we go now? I don't like fighting with you."

With a sigh, the older male reached out and gripped Harry's hand, walking with him to the library. Still, a niggling of anger sat within Cedric's mind. How dare that Gryffindor scum touch what was his? McLaggen would pay. He'd make sure of it.

\----Time skip----

Harry bit his lip to stifle his pained whimper as he was jostled in the surprisingly gentle arms of his potions master. Luna, who had forgone her normally dreamy façade, glared coldly at any student who stared at them. She was walking stiffly at the tall professor's side.

"When I get my hands on that...that ruffian, he'll wish he'd been punished by your Shadow Demon, love." She hissed, casting her gaze briefly on Harry, whose upper torso was badly burned.

Severus snorted, but inwardly agreed. Harry, for his part, attempted a small smile. It wasn't her fault that he was currently like this. He'd wandered off alone that's all. Ronald Weasley had obviously forgotten the warning from two months prior, and decided to sneak up on the soul-eater and knocked him out.  
When Harry had awakened his whole body was without clothes and he had been charmed to stick to the wall outside.  
Luckily the sun had set enough that only his torso had been burned, but he'd still been forced to endure at least five minutes worth of it, signifying he'd just been placed there before waking. Through his blood curdling screams, he'd heard Ron's taunting laughter as he called him a freak and a whore. Worthless.  
Harry screamed louder, just wishing the pain would stop. He knew then why Cedric had warned him against being out in the sunlight.

"Please!" He'd screamed in his head and he supposed he might have out loud as well,"Let me die! Kill me!" He finally /had/screamed before mercifully passing out.

When he came to sometime later, minutes that felt like hours, he had been removed from the wall by Luna, who covered him with her cloak, while Severus -looking positively livid- angrily yelled at an immobilized Ron. Harry had whimpered, his body shaking as it succumbed to shock, the pain coursing through him and injuries that caused bloody tears to leak from his eyes. Breathing hurt. Thinking hurt. He'd wanted to die. It felt like the Patronus but ten times worse.

"Luna, I-I want my Cedric." He had whimpered, and Luna had felt tears come to her own eyes.

She never should have left him alone. She had only needed to gather her school work from her common room. They'd planned on studying together while Cedric and Blaise went into Hogsmede, since they could, to gather Christmas gifts and sweets.  
They wouldn't stand for anything less than death of the redhead when they found out. And should any of Harry's kin find out; she shuddered to think of the results. Luna had soothed her friends bangs away from his face as delicately as she had been able.  
She felt so responsible. She's bitten her lip and had begun to sing to her 'little' brother as Severus stalked over, gently gathering the child in his arms and using his cloak to cover up Harry's body so that only a small part of the third year's chest was visible.

Leaving the red head in the position he was in and under the Petrificus Totalus spell, the professor had then made his way inside with a fuming yet tearful Luna following him.  
Harry was once more jostled which pulled him out of his thoughts and he let out a sharp cry. He wanted his Shadow Demon. He wanted his Atro. He wanted his brother and sister, not just Luna alone. He wanted to die. He began to sob and his shaking increased.  
Severus cursed and sped up towards the dungeons and his room. Outside of said rooms stood Draco, the on who had heard Harry's screams and had gotten Luna, before rushing off to find his godfather.  
The blond Slytherin paled at the sight of the burnt and bloody Gryffindor and Severus snarled at the child to move as he forcefully brushed past and into his living quarters.

He told Luna to clear off a table and she did with a quick flick of her wand. Once done Severus set the boy down, only then noticing that Harry was desperately gripping his shirt. He gently released the boy's hold and cast a diagnostic charm on the still sobbing dementor child.  
The Lytis Demon cursed, Harry's vitals weren't good. The dementor was going further into shock. If he wasn't healed, at least partially, soon the he might go into cardiac arrest. There wasn't a dementor around that could heal him at this time. However, this didn't stop Severus from being willing to do his best to help until the child could get a healing from one.

"Draco." He snapped as the blond made his way timidly inside," I need you to help me out potions and salves on and in Harry. Luna please collect Zabini and Diggory. They'll need to be here and not anywhere around Weasley. I have a feeling that once the Dementor Lord finds out, Ronald Weasley will be a dead man."

Both Draco and Luna nodded and began to do as asked.

\-----

Severus washed his hands under the sink. He had spent better part of an hour stabilizing, healing, and bandaging up the burnt teen on his potions table. It had been messy and Harry had screamed so much, Severus was sure he'd have nightmares for a while. As predicted, both Blaise and Cedric, when they had seen how bad off their loved one really was, had wanted to go on a killing rampage. Thankfully, Luna had stopped them, kindly pointing out that at the moment, Harry needed them. Draco came over to the sink as Severus waded out of his thoughts and gazed sorrowfully at the young dementor, who had been stabilized enough to be moved to the enlarged couch.  
Luna, Blaise, and Cedric all sat around him in a protective circle, no doubt plotting a death sentence worthy of the Dark Lord.

"Sev, will Harry be ok?" Inquired Draco sadly.

He'd never seen so much blood and pain before. Numerous times Harry had cried out for Cedric or Atropos, some Draco was unfamiliar with, and sometimes he merely screamed for death. It had been horrifying. In that moment Draco knew he wasn't cut out to follow in his father's footsteps. He couldn't be a Death Eater. Pulling his attention back to his god father, he was startled to see the snarky potions master with a pained expression.

"Physically he will pull through. He should even be free of did figuration and such save the scar in his forehead and on his throat from his first burn. However, mentally, I'm unsure. He will likely be jumpy and withdrawn. Even among those he trusts." Was the sad reply.

Drying his hands off he wandered over to the friends keeping vigil over their comrade's inert form. Both males were stoic while Luna was humming a calm tune while running her hands on the blankets covering Harry's form. Severus still couldn't quite believe it. Lily had cheated on James? How else could Harry have been born? And what of himself? He had treated this child so badly when he appeared to be a genuinely kind young man, nothing like James Potter. Yes, he had been watching very closely like he said he would. He had even thwarted a few nasty Gryffindor attacks aimed at the child, but hadn't been there in time to save him on this occasion. It hurt that he had failed.

"He knows you tried, Lytis." Cedric whispered hoarsely, gaze still set firmly on his little love.

Severus gulped and nodded.  
"The potions in his system should keep him knocked out for a few hours. In the mean time I will go to the courtyard where we stored Ron and take him to the Headmaster. Hopefully the man won't be so lenient on him as he was with Lupin." The potions master snarled.

Echoing growls of anger came from Cedric and Blaise as the Sytherin Head stated the lack of punishment on the DADA teacher. Said werewolf had merely been suspended for a few days like some errant child.  
Suffice it to say, every Slytherin in their group had retaliated by making whatever class they had with Remus Lupin positively miserable. Even Severus had been adding different ingredients to the wolfsbane he gave to Remus to give the werewolf a burning sensation on random parts of his body that would last the whole transformation. The werewolf, after two months of this,had finally given up and asked for a transfer or to resign. Both were denied. Since then many had backed off and set their sights solely on Dumbeldore.  
They subtly got back by conning the ghosts into making his life a living hell. It was working as far as they could tell as Dumbledore constantly threw the Slytherins, and Harry in particular, numerous nasty looks. Brining his mind back to the present, Severus sighed and rubbed his temples with an annoyed expression.

"However, I doubt he will be punished as harshly as we wish him to be. So I will make sure he regrets hurting out little dementor. I never know a Weasley could be so cowardly." With that the potions master turned to leave his rooms with his traditional menacing aura, knowing they were safe from meddling old fools and the children inside.

Cedric looked his charge over with sad eyes. His little Muerte had been right. Bad things seemed to happen to him rather often. It was sickeningly unfair. Dumbledore's blind eye towards Harry's continual mistreatment certainly left quite alot to be desired. It was a blatant negligence on the Headmasters part and he had to wonder how long they were going to have to take it before something was done at last. How long would his little one have to endure this cruelty? He felt himself calm a bit as Luna's tune continued to be hummed and wondered, rather briefly, if it were a demonic lullaby.

"What do we do Cedric? Harry won't be ok after this attack. We both know it. Harry was pretty shaken up the first go around! What if he can't stand /anyone's/ touch now?" Blaise stated softly, gazing at his brother with hard eyes.

They all considered each other as siblings now (besides Cedric and Harry, who in the last few months had deepened their bond as lovers) ; Harry being their main concern. Cedric snarled then stood and paced. Draco took this opportunity to inch closer to the group.

"Harry maybe even more timid now, but he is stronger than many give him credit for. He will trust you three to see him through this." Draco stated comfortingly, garnering multiple looks of surprise. Cedric's eyes narrowed.

"You have been watching him?"

Draco nervously backed up but nodded, his starlight eyes softening when they locked on Harry's unconscious form. He felt equally guilty of course. Why had be been so distracted?

"Yeah. Uncle Severus told me it would be wise to either ignore or watch Harry. He said something was up, yet it was more than likely worth our time. I never imagined it would end up like this. But I got help as fast as I could."

Blaise nodded his thanks and Cedric's form relaxed slightly. The room fell silent save for Luna's humming; all of them waited for both Severus' return and for Harry to wake up.

\----

Severus was angry. Beyond angry. He couldn't believe that meddling....ugh! No wonder he had joined the Dark. He'd found Ron where he had left him and then had levitated him to the Headmaster's office. Once there he'd filled in the headmaster on what had happened. Instead of being angry, that old bastard had appeared /happy/! Like a plan of his had worked. For whatever reason the old man's magic had lazed at that moment and Severus was able to catch a glimpse of the old man's thoughts. What he had seen had disgusted him. This whole time the old coot had been encouraging the Gryffindor's to harass Harry until the raven haired child left, became so mortally wounded he was forced out of Hogwarts, or until he got into enough trouble to he suspended.

Severus scowled.  
Therefore Ron had been given a detention for appearances sake and Severus had been dismissed. Reaching his rooms, he snapped out his password and stormed in, intention telling the youngsters in his room to go to their dorms and he'd stay by Harry's side. He just wasn't in the mood to entertain children.  
All set up to yell, he stopped short when he was met with the sight of all of the children asleep and a tall make staring at Harry's form with narrowed eyes.

Quicker than Severus could ever remember being, he had his wand trained on the intruder, who slowly turned towards the snarky professor with and almost bored look. Severus shivered as the room temperature plummeted, causing the children in the room to shift and for Harry to whimper. The stranger turned his attention back to the incapacitated teen on the couch, tenderly surrounded by his friends and Severus' godson.

"You healed my little death?" Asked the stranger as he gently pet said child's head.

Severus slowly lowered his wand when he realized that this stranger wouldn't be a threat to his student. Still he kept it in hand and on the ready. He wasn't a spy for nothing.

"I did. It was touch and go for a bit, but he should be healed in a few more days." Answered the Hogwarts professor, rubbing a hand over his face in frustration.

He had wanted Harry to be completely healed by tomorrow but the child needed at least two more infusions of healing potions and burn salve before that happened.

"How bad was he?" The stranger queried softly, his voice deceptively calm.

Severus knew this brazen nonchalance was an act. The Dark Lord sounded remarkably similar when he was about to throw a particularly nasty hex. Therefore, he merely sighed and folded his arms across his chest, making sure his wards were completely sealed before returning his attention to his guest.

"His skin was charred. He had internal bleeding. He'd only been out there for about five minutes but the damage was done. I guess it's a good thing he's only a halfbreed as the damage could have been worse. It was pretty bad though. He kept screaming for either Cedric, someone named Atropos,"at which point the stranger flinched," or death." Severus finished, eyes narrowed in thought.

The stranger's stiff posture belied his anger. His clenched fists proved how very badly he wished to hit something.

"Thank you, for saving my mate. Has the culprit been punished? I am sad to say that my brethren and I were away while this took place, and I would love to hear the fate of the one who did this."

Severus snorted and gestured for the stranger to sit, slightly uncomfortable with the knowledge that Harry's mate stood before him and appeared /his/ age.

"There was no punishment. Apparently, the headmaster has it in his mind that Harry is as evil as the Dark Lord and must be eradicated." Intoned the Head of Slytherin bitterly.

What was sad about that statement was that the Dark Lord was a fair leader. Yeah, he enjoyed killing, but he punished you when you did wrong and rewarded when you accomplished something he'd asked of you. Granted It didn't make him any less evil. But, again, at least he was fair. He didn't manipulate. If you didn't follow his orders, you had better have a good explanation, else wise you were punished.  
Unlike the headmaster,who fed your loyalty to him with lies and deceit. Severus inwardly groaned. He was developing a headache. It took a few moments but eventually Severus became aware of the plummet of temperature again, and more than aware of Harry's heated moan. The potions master twitched, his body clenching at the delectable sound. The sexual demon had never heard such a sound that caused his body to react thusly. The stranger stood and was at Harry's side in what seemed like an instant. Severus marveled at the speed, before standing as well and making his way over to his patient.  
Harry was waking up finally.

"Hello, Little Death."

Green eyes filled with surprise as they locked on the strangers form before tears welled up and Harry began to cry. This of course woke the others and Severus found himself waiting for angry outbursts at the sight of the stranger. They never came.

"So, Hogwarts has deemed you worthy of entering her halls with out an escort, huh?" Cedric drawled and the stranger flashed him a pointed toothed grin.

"All the better to protect my precious little Death from dangers such as this, Shadow Demon." Was the amused retort.

Cedric rolled his eyes and then focused on Harry who was silently crying and whimpering. Luna immediately began to hum the Demon's Lullaby and Blaise took one of Harry's bandaged hands into his own.

"How is he Severus?" Inquired Draco, starlight eyes worried.

Casting a diagnostic spell, the older Slytherin appeared taken aback by the results, while the stranger merely looked smug.

"What?"

"Some how he's healing faster than I thought he would."

The stranger chuckled and gently trailed a hand down Harry's bandaged cheek.

"It's because he'll heal faster when around his mate or his kin. He happens to be in the presence of both, so it's a boon for him."

Severus stepped back in astonishment.

"Dementor." He breathed.

Again the stranger flashed a toothy grin.

"A-Atro, I hurt." Came a whispered voice, before any could comment, and the stranger instantly focused on the child, who leaned into his touch.

"I know, Little Death. I'm healing you as best as I can." Was the Dementor Lord's gentle reply. Harry scrunched up his nose in both pain and self disgust.

"I must look hideous now, Atro."

Cedric scowled and drew Harry's attention to himself.

"You will always be beautiful. And what's better is this time you won't scar. This burn was natural, not magical, so you'll be able to be completely healed." He stated with a smirk.

Timidly, Harry smiled back and his body relaxed. It was then he noticed the professor and Draco. His eyes became frightened and he shook. Considering their pasts were far firm pleasant, Severus couldn't blame him. Sensing his mate's distress, Atropos chuckled and gently poked Harry on the the middle of the forehead.

"Stop worrying. Your professor and his godson saved your life, if the rumors are correct." Harry's eyes rounded in astonishment. While he remembered Severus saving him, he was stunned about Draco's involvement.

"Rumors? Where have you heard-" 

"Your Slytherins talk too much sometimes." Snapped the normally calm Dementor Lord and once more Harry whimpered when the male's power spiked.

Severus shifted, uncomfortable with the fact that this child's moan slightly amused him. It was unusual for him to be affected like this. But like everything that confused him, he buried it deep for analyzing later. Taking the Dementor's words to heart, Severus scowled. His own snakes were being loose with their tongues? He'd change that when he set up their next house meeting.

"That will change, I assure you."

Atropos inclined his head in acknowledgement and returned to soothing his lover.

"So as I was saying. Little Death, you can trust them."

Harry gazed at Atropos then, with such hope in his eyes, that both Cedric and the Dementor Lord wished to strangle someone.

"What happened to Ron?" Was softly asked. Severus growled angrily. Stupid old man.

"He's been given a detention."

"WHAT?!"

"The FUCK?! How can he do that after what's been done?!"

"I knew that bastard had it in for Harry."

"The old bumblebee must die."

"Why can't he just leave me alone?" The last was said with a strangled sob and all the room's occupants attempted to console the heartbroken teen.

It took a good ten minutes before that was accomplished and by the time it was all said and done Harry had exhausted himself into slumber. For many moments no one spoke, until Severus stood and offered everyone tea. Only Atropos declined, fingers threading gently through Harry's hair. It was seventeen days before Christmas and all of the wanted Harry to be well by then. So they made plans while, oblivious, Harry slept on. Each agreed to take turns shopping for something that would keep their little dementor friend happy and safe even if they should die.  
What time wasn't spent shopping would be spent showing Harry how much he was still loved. They would begin with the plan tomorrow. But first they needed to do one more thing. Ron Weasley's punishment.

"I think he should lose something precious to him. Like...a limb." Luna stated coldly. 

Blaise nodded in agreement.

"How about a disease that infects any woman he sleeps with?" Draco suggested.

Severus smirked. He'd performed that particular ailment on a few Gryffindors in his day. It had been fun.

"Or maybe we humiliate him in the worst way possible, in front of the Great Hall?" Blaise put in.

Cedric and Atropos grinned wolfishly.

"How about all of them, plus Atropos and I alternate in making him depressed and feel as if he's being followed constantly?" Cedric stated, and everyone quickly agreed.

Thus, the fate of one Ronald Weasley was decided.


	9. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm so sorry for the delay! I have been dealing with a lot of things and then I became pregnant and was dealing with morning sickness and I'm only just now getting to the point where I'm able to feel semi human again (stupid heat) here is an update though! Please enjoy!  
> Thank you for waiting!

Chapter 8-

Harry was running. Ron was behind him with Lockhart, a wall of rubble between them, and ahead was Ginny needing to be saved. But saved from what? That giant basilisk of course! Right? Tom has said that the great beast was actually very nice, when they'd talked together. That had been before someone had broken into his dorm and stolen the diary though. Those talks had been nice. He felt a kindred spirit with the older Slytherin's memory. Both orphans, both parslemouths (though Tom looked more perplexed and contemplative at the new found knowledge). According to the sweet talking memory, only those of the line of Slytherin were gifted with the talent. It made him feel the sting of Tom's imagined disapproval at his rather patchwork heritage. He hoped the older teen would let him prove how worthy he was.  
He wasn't a freak! He didn't want to be a disappointment. They both had alot in common after all. They were both regarded as freaks by their caretakers. The two had spent hours discussing everything and Harry found that he enjoyed learning from the older teen. Even if it had only been the teen's memory. Harry felt genuinely accepted.

Biting his lip, he pushed forward. He didn't really care about Ginny. In fact, lately, he'd been feeling rather weird. Like, when outside, he felt hotter than usual, until he got to some shelter. He actually enjoyed the cold of the dungeons, although that was partially due to his reluctance to leave his potions classes. And when he was around others they complained that the room was colder. On top of that, as if that wasn't enough, he was feeling hungry. Nothing he ate made him full! It wasn't a constant hunger. But when it happened he had to struggle not to look like Ron when he ate.  
Then there were Ginny's looks. Her lustful, starry eyed, 'I-want-to-hump-him' looks, that she constantly threw Harry's way.  
Oh, they made him sick. He was gay. He wanted his Potions Professor to bend him over his desk and perform unspeakable acts on him that only made him blush to think of. He knew it wasn't just a phase. He had tried telling her, and Ron, this but was simply waved off like his opinion couldn't be sound. Which of course irritated him. But, for the sake of his friendship, here he was, traversing the sewers of Hogwarts to get to the Chamber of Secrets, to save a girl he detested.

Finally, he came to a large sealed door. He paused in thought and then shrugged, speaking the word 'open' in parsle. Instantly, the door unlocked and slid open. Stepping through the door, his eyes widened in awe. The Chamber was beautiful! There was a walkway of stone, surrounded by water and interspersed with white columns on each side, that led to a solid white stone platform. On the other side of the platform were stairs that led to a giant stone face of a man he guessed to be Salazar Sytherin himself. Two other walkways branched off to the left of the platform that led to two different rooms, one of which appeared to be a library. At the center of the platform were two figured, and that's where Harry's attention became drawn. As he drew closer he sucked in a surprised breath. Standing beside a seemingly unconscious Ginny, was Tom Riddle. Harry drew closer, catching the attention of the older teen. When Tom realized who exactly was standing before him, he smiled such a charmingly decent smile, that Harry's knees trembled weakly under the soul searing attention. It was the kind of expression that one would think of being chiseled in the statue of some blessed Adonis. No one could deny the teen had a handsome face, even if he wasn't Harry's cup of tea.

Harry grinned back, easily forgetting what he was supposed to be doing. This was a friend. Someone who could help him with his task. His task! That's right! He needed to save Ginny. Turning his gaze to the girl at their feet he knelt.

"She's still alive, right?"

Tom's eyes narrowed.

"You mean to save her?"

Harry scoffed before he could stop himself. He had no choice in the matter. The girl was the little sister of his best friend. He was obligated right? It was his duty...right? Tom Riddle frowned, as if sensing his confusion. His dilemma.

"It is expected of me to save her. After all, she's my best friend's sister. But I've been feeling sick lately, and really don't like her enough to care."

Tom smirked, his brown eyes dancing with humor. Well wasn't this interesting? The Boy Wonder didn't feel like saving the red haired nit? He wondered if, this boy he'd been conversing with for months, was more like him than Dumbledore surmised. Still, and here Tom frowned, this odd feeling he was getting from the child, it was niggling at him. This child felt like...well...like he did. A soul fragment. But more than that, there was a further connection and the cold that poured from the young Gryffindor was palpable. The utter chill.

"Just because people expect something from you, doesn't mean you have to comply to their wishes, Harry."

Harry's expressive green eyes became downcast.

"You don't understand! I'm a freak and a nobody at home, that's all I'm expected to be. Here, in the wizard isn't world, I'm supposed to kill off Voldemort," he didn't notice Tom's flinch," a man who supposedly killed my parentS, who I have no memory of in the first place! I'm not to be friends with Slytherins because they are all evil just like Voldemort, and speaking parseltongue is like declaring you are said Dark Lord's heir or something! I hate it! But I don't know what else to do! I don't want to fight someone I know nothing about!" He was close to tears by the time he'd finished and Tom inexplicably felt the teen's wish for it all to end.

The Slytherin memory pondered this new information. He felt rage suddenly wash through him at the thought of Harry's learning being stunted because of an old coot's wish for Voldemort to die. He saw with curiosity that as he felt his anger a slight twitch of fear showed on Harry's face and he stepped back from Tom, even though said Slytherin's features had remained blank.   
How was this possible? This feeling of each other's emotions? Well one thing was for sure. This child certainly was a puzzle.

"Well. I can tell you that Voldemort went through similar things when younger."

"How do you know?"

Tom smirked and drew his name in the air with Ginny's wand. Then he rearranged the letters and Harry's eyes widened in both fear and loss.

TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE

I AM LORD VOLDEMORT

Harry felt...he didn't know what to feel. On one hand he felt afraid. What if Voldemort was going to finish off what he couldn't all of those years ago? On the other hand he felt betrayed. Used. For months he'd been pouring his heart out to Tom Riddle, without knowing that said man was the man he was supposedly destined to kill. Feeling glimpses of these emotions, Tom sighed and banished the spell.

"You have no reason to fear, child. I have neither used you nor betrayed you. You have been welcome company compared to the redhead menace. I don't know why but you intrigue me, therefore I will return this child her life force and if you leave without the diary, I promise to stop the Baslilisk's attacks and you two can go free."

"You won't kill me?"

"No. I wish to figure you out. Depending on what I find is how I shall react. Know that, for now, you and I are not enemies, but not comrades. Agreed?"

Harry's stomach plummeted. He'd lost a friend. A memory, his enemy even, but someone he'd felt close to these past months. It hurt. Tom chuckled softly and ruffled his hair.

"We shall meet again. Until then, trust your instincts." He informed in all seriousness.

Harry nodded and felt approval flowing into his body, filling him with relief. He didn't understand why he was feeling an emotion other than his own, but he didn't question it.

"I hope, Tom, that we can be friends again. I don't want to kill anyone. Especially because someone stated that it was my destiny."

The Tom memory seemed startled, as though no one had told him such a thing before. He tilted his head to the side, looking vulnerable, before giving a slight nod.

"Let us hope for the best then."

Harry felt his stomach clench as he picked up the youngest Weasley and made his way out of the enormous room. He was going to miss their talks. But he knew that he needed some answers first. First off though, how was he going to get out? It was then that Fawkes gave a loud trill and....

\---

Harry blinked sleepily as he felt the last tendrils of the dream leave. He had forgotten about that day. Hadn't kept up on his end of the bargain, to find out out whether or not he should kill Voldemort. 'Because we say so' didn't seem like a very good excuse anymore. He needed answers, but it wasn't like he could just walk up to someone and ask. And then there were those times he'd felt an emotion that wasn't his own, seep into his mind. The strange random times that he hasn't been able to put his finger on, but had just felt off in general. As if there was something he should recognize but wasn't.  
Who could he trust to talk about this? Of course Cedric or even Atropos but he was sleeping with Luna tonight, as it was her turn, and so he'd have to wait until tomorrow ; before curfew in case of talking to Atropos. Frustrated, he sat up and shook Luna carefully. Immediately her blue eyes locked with his, a question in their depths.

"I can't sleep."

"A lot on your mind?"

He nodded and bit his lip.

"Is there a way to get information on Voldemort? Real information from someone who has spent a great deal of time around him? I need some things explained to me." He admitted childishly. He felt so foolish for asking her such a question. When she was obviously tired.  
However, Luna simply grinned while her eyes glazed over in thought. This went on for a few minutes before the lovely orbs brightened.

"A Death Eater would know."

Harry blanched. Where would he be able to find a Death Eater? As far as he knew they didn't exactly like him. Killing ones boss has that affect apparently. Seeing his face, Luna giggled and grabbed his hand, tugging him towards the door after grabbing her side satchel, both still in their pajamas.   
They left the Ravenclaw dorms quickly and quietly as shadows, stealing down the corridor, towards the dungeons. He was puzzled. Where were they going?

"You said you need to talk to a Death Eater right?" Luna stated as they turned into the corridor that led to the Slytherin common room. 

He nodded, hoping shed elaborate. Instead, she stopped in front of a large painting of a hawk. She knocked on the portrait and pulled Harry close to her, looping their arms together. Harry smiled at her, exasperated that she wasn't very forth coming with her answers. His smile froze when one Severus Snape opened the door. Harry turned to Luna, and pointed at the Potions Master who stared at them in confusion.

"He's a Death Eater? Are you sure, sis?" He asked, nearly missing the Head of Slytherin House's eyes darken with some mix of emotion that Harry couldn't identify. Was it perhaps fear of being caught? Anger? Or shame?  
He turned his attention back to the blonde hanging off his arm. Three days after his run in with Ron, Luna has insisted he call her sister. Feeling honored, he had complied. Her eyes lit up every time the seemingly innocent word passed his lips.

Nervously, Harry turned his eyes back to his teacher and winced at the cold mask he saw in place of the surprise from before. He didn't like when Severus showed this face. Over the past few weeks they'd come to more of a truce and he really didn't wish to go back to what it was before.

"Sir, I need information. It appears you are the one I can trust to give me the truth." He stated in a voice little louder than a whisper.

He knew that the fact Severus was a Death Eater was probably confidential, and he was willing to make sure no one else knew about it. The man had saved his life after all. He was willing to keep a few secrets. Severus must have distinguished his pure intentions in his expression because he merely scowled and allowed them to enter.  
Luna smiled as they were escorted into Severus' living room and made to sit on the couch there, while Severus sat across from them in a large black recliner.

"Now why do you need Death Eater, Harry?" Asked the dour man after he ordered tea, "And why are you still dressed in your pajamas?"

Harry blushed and realized that all of them were similarly under dressed. It was somewhat embarrassing and, in a dark, sinful way, a little intriguing to see the Professor that he desired so unreserved despite his stoic mask that he leveled the two with. Harry pushed the rising interest in the way the man's sleep wear fit his form, away furiously. He was intent to focus on the task at hand. Information. Right.

"Dressing this way...well...it wasn't exactly planned. Luna kind of dragged us down here before I could change. Sorry about that..."

"And why this hour? Could you not wait?"

Luna glared at Severus when Harry flinched and shrank into her side. He still couldn't take a harsh tone. Cedric surmised it might never go away. Severus and Harry may have had progress but obviously not much if he was still so skittish.

"He had a dream. He needs your help with something in it that he doesn't understand." She replied, a hard tone to her voice.

None of them took any chances anymore. If Harry felt even the slightest bit threatened, they jumped to his defense. Said Dementor Child tugged on Luna's sleeve and she handed him a pill from her side satchel. He quickly dry swallowed it and then lay his head down on her shoulder for comfort.  
Shifting uncomfortably, Severus nodded, eyeing Harry with what appeared to be something akin to understanding. Moments later, the tea arrived and Harry took a sip of his before looking at Severus cautiously.

"I had a dream, maybe a memory, of my time in the Chamber of Secrets in my second year. But I really don't know how to explain it to you, sir. All I can say is, that I promised Tom that I'd find out the truth. You, if you're his Death Eater, know all about him. Not what the Light portrays." He began, looking the older man in the eyes.

Severus stared in shock. Very few knew the Dark Lord's real name. The fact this child knew caused him to lean forward.

"Harry. There is a way for me to see wha you are talking about without you having to go into a lengthy explanation. But it would require your trust." He stated honestly.

Harry turned to Luna for confirmation. She opened her side satchel and gave him a nod of reassurance.

"It will be ok, Harry. If he tries anything I shall know and punish him accordingly. You need your answers and he's right. This is the best way. And while you two are occupied I shall finish my homework for History of Magic that is due after Christmas break." She smiled as she shuffled through the papers in the bag.

Harry bit his lip, then turned back to Severus, giving him a shy smile and tiny nod of acceptance. Setting his tea aside, Severus stood and held a hand out towards Harry, his eyes never leaving said child even as he directed his nest statement at Luna.

"Will you be alright if I leave you here alone? It is best he lay down as we connect minds."

Luna gave him a droll stare that made Severus' lips twitch in humor.

"Didn't I just say that I would be busy doing school work, Professor Snape?"

Harry chuckled and blushed when Severus arched a brow at him, but the man sighed and motioned for Harry to follow him. With one last glance at Luna's serene face, Harry followed his teacher into a side room with a full sized bed, one small dresser, and bare white walls.

"Draco will stay here at times when he visits me during the summer break. He'll often receive extra potions lessons." Severus explained when Harry gave him a questioning look.

Harry made a noise in the back of his throat indicating that he understood and then sat on the bed when directed. He gazed at Severus with expectant green eyes, and suddenly wished Atro or his Cedric, even his Blaise-wolf, were at his side right them. He wanted them to distract him. To comfort him.  
Severus conjured a wooden chair and set it in front of Harry, making himself comfortable for the task ahead. He pushed the boy so that he lay back comfortably on the bed and reflexively smoothed down the Dementor child's shirt, a habit he had picked up while the child had resided in these very rooms weeks before.

"Why was the portrait different, sir? Last time I was here it was a vampire wasn't it?" 

Severus chuckled and nodded.

"Yes it was. Now, you mustn't break eye contact and you need to relax. I promise if you do there will be less chance for discomfort. And if I see more than you wish me to, I apologize."

Harry nodded and they locked eyes. It felt as if his inner mind was bending inward, forming like elastic around some outward intrusion but with the cool swiftness of a winter breeze, the Potions Master slipped through his defenses, effortlessly entering Harry's mindscape like he were a visitor to some strange museum of thoughts. Severus strolled respectively through the many corridors of Harry's mind, stopping curiously when he came across a bright string of memory. Nearing it, he felt Harry's mind tugging on him slightly, like a string attached to the center of his consciousness.  
Obviously, not something he wanted seen.  
Respecting the child's privacy, something he wouldn't have done in previous years, he moved on. 

Suddenly, a stream of pulsing white memory slithered in front of him like a serpent and he reached for it. Immediately he was thrust into the memory and he grinned in triumph as he observed the goings on around him. That grin slipped away when he viewed the memory in its entirety. He pondered what he heard as Tom Riddle and Harry conversed. He puzzled over their shared emotions. Over the way they shared so much of their history together. Over the boy's second year and the stirrings of changes in his body thanks to his Dementor heritage shining through.  
There was a gentle pulse of thought from the memory-Harry, revealing with shocking clarity the crush the child had been harboring over him of all people. He didn't know whether that was a good thing or not. Pulling away from Harry's mind he noted the bright blush on Harry's cheeks and smirked, knowing he was the cause of it.

"Do you feel alright Harry?"

The teen shivered and nodded quickly before sitting up and drawing his knees to his chest.

"So may I have my information now? He always seemed so nice when we talked. Is Tom really a bad person?" Harry's eyes were distant now, remembering the past and Severus briefly saw flashes if the past times Harry talked with Tom via the diary, pass before the boy's eyes.

Regret. Fear. Loss.

Sighing, Severus sat back in the chair and folded his arms across his chest. Well. He came for the truth. He'd get it.

"The Dark Lord isn't a kind man, but he is fair. There are no lies or deceit with him. You do as he says or he kills you. It's that simple. He seemed to be rather interested with you. Do you really not want to kill him?" 

Harry sighed.

"I want to live my life with my true friends, if the Dark Lord and I can move past whatever Dumbledore threw us in, then no, I don't want to kill him.

Severus blinked in shock and then glared at the wall.

"Dumbledore is really good at that isn't he? Messing up people's lives."

Harry snorted, appearing tired suddenly. He was fed up with allowing his life to be manipulated so thoroughly. Severus sighed and once more pressed Harry to the bed. He brought up the sheets to rest around the fledgling soul eater's body and green eyes gazed at him in confusion.

"You and Miss Lovegood may rest here tonight. Don't think this excuses you from classes though. And if you have any more questions about Lord Voldemort, I'll do my best to answer."

Harry sighed and hummed his agreement, eyes drifting closed.

"Severus. Why did you join Dumbledore?"

Severus paused at the door, a grimace of pain on his face.

"I thought he would save your mother. She was a very close friend. I loved her dearly. Like a blood sister."

Astonished, the young Dementor gaped at his Potions Master. He was so surprised he never noticed the brief look of softness that appeared in the dour man's eyes.

"Goodnight young Harry." He stated tenderly.

Harry blushed and closed his mouth with a swift nod.

"Goodnight, sir."

"Oh and Harry? Having a crush on someone, even multiple someone's, doesn't make you a freak. I, for one, feel flattered that someone as kind as you considers me worthy of a crush. And if you tell anyone I said that I'll deny it to the end and claim you need help at St. Mungos." Severus teased, with a straight face.

Green eyes met onyx and they shared a moment of silence, before Harry blushed and looked away. He fiddled with the blankets covering him and then huffed and curled up.

"I won't tell anyone, sir." He replied at last.

Severus nodded and then opened the door to leave the room. He was stopped by Harry's soft voice.

"For the record, sir? I think you're quite handsome."

Severus Snape would deny to his dying day that the statement made him blush like a school boy.

End of chapter 8


	10. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: holy monkeys its been a while! Exhibit A might take a bit longer as I'm stuck on the next chapter and I always try to stay a chapter ahead! Um Luna is Luna, for those bothered by her speaking Japanese. She's odd and knows a lot of things, so why not a different language? So what is she's English?   
> Enough of the mini rant, and on with the story! Enjoy!

Death's Heir- 9

-same night in the other room-

Luna watched her little brother go off with Severus Snape, knowing that he would get some of the answers that he needed. With a sigh she returned her attention back to her satchel and then pulled out papers she had buried under her homework. While Harry had been recuperating after his last bout with Gryffindor stupidity, Cedric had given her the task of seeking out information on the mass murder after Harry. He had a suspicion that maybe no one knew all the facts about what really happened the night that Sirius Black had supposedly killed Peter Pettigrew and numerous muggles. From what she had gathered from the newspaper clippings and such, this suspicion was well founded. First off, Sirius Black was accused of killing thirteen people. One of which was one of his fellow Gryffindor friends, Peter. The others were muggles that had been killed in the crossfire.  
Supposedly, he'd been chasing after his former friend in a fit of rage. Witnesses claimed he had been screaming about how he was going to kill Pettigrew for his betrayal. Betrayal of whom or what was never specified. Then there was the rumor of Sirius being a Death Eater.

Luna scoffed.

Even without her Seer ability she could tell that was a load of bullocks that heralded straight from either the Ministry or someone with and equal amount of sway over the community. Especially when one actually took the time to read into Sirius' past.  
Son of Orion and Walburga Black and big brother to Regulus Arcturus Black. He had been the first in his family to be sorted into Gryffindor and then outcast because of it. He had made immediate friends with James Potter and the werewolf, Remus Lupin.  
They had been inseparable, even when Peter had been added to the group. Years later, James and Lily Potter had become married, Sirius Black was James' best man and both men were exceptional Aurors. Shortly thereafter Sirius had been named Harry's godfather and a year after that the whole fiasco with Voldemort went down. Sirius being accused of betraying the Potters, said family dead save for little Harry, Peter and twelve muggles are killed, and Sirius is shipped away to Azkaban for the next twelve years for numerous crimes he didn't commit without a trial.

Wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am. That's all she wrote. Thanks for all your service but fuck-you-very-much.

Luna tilted her head to the side, absently twisting a lock of her hair around her finger as she pondered all the facts. According to what she'd been able to dig up, it had been Dumbledore who had suggested he go to prison immediately, else poor little Harry could be targeted next. Revenge for the death of Sirius' supposed Lord. He even encouraged the Ministry into believing that Sirius had indeed sold out his friends.  
What Luna didn't understand, was, if Sirius had indeed sold the Potters out, if he'd killed all those people, then why had he wanted to be as far away from his Slytherin/Voldermort worshipping relatives as possible? Why had he been through so much with and for James Potter, if he was just going to betray them in the end?

According to his Black relatives, Sirius couldn't have acted his way out of a paper bag. Though that was through numerous pureblood grapevines. So why betray? Why take out the people who took you in and were more of a family to you than your own? It made no sense.  
Luna chewed on her finger nail as she went over the details in her mind. It made sense to her that Dumbledore would want Black put in prison. Without Black, the only relatives that could take Harry in we're his abusive muggle Aunt and Uncle. And there was no way the old man didn't know about it either. Harry had told all of the, about how his first Hogwarts letter had been addressed to 'The cupboard under the stairs.'  
Cedric had flipped a bloody lid. In retrospect the scene had been rather humorous, even if the subject matter hadn't been. And with how horrible Harry's life had been, he would cling to the first bit of kindness shown to him. Enter the Weasley brat and Granger chit and sweet Headmaster Dumbledore.

"Something must have happened in Second year that changed his mind about keeping Harry as his in his defeat of Voldermort." Luna pondered aloud, irritation growing in the pit of her stomach.

But what? What had happened...wait. Second year was the year Harry found out he was a parslemouth. Maybe that had been the turning point? Possibly. The next question was, was Black really a danger to Harry? Personally, she didn't think so. However, this possibly innocent man had been incarcerated for almost thirteen years, surrounded by Dementors twenty-four-seven. In his years being slowly driven insane, he might have come to believe the hype about himself.  
Frustrated at having obtained no answers, regardless of the amount of information, she debated if she should show Cedric what she'd found so far, or wait until she'd procured more. Gathering up all the notes she'd spread out on the couch, she decided it was best to keep Cedric informed, no matter the lack of concrete answers. Maybe they could all brainstorm together when they'd shared what they'd discovered with Harry.  
She placed all of her papers in her satchel just as Severus finally left the room he'd taken Harry to. Closing her bag she raised a brow at the Potions Master's softer expression. He looked her over for a moment then tisked quietly.

"You and Harry are staying here tonight. He's waiting for you. Do try not to destroy my home, you heathens." Severus stated finally, casting an unreadable glance back at the closed off room he'd just exited.

Luna inwardly smirked, suddenly bombarded with images and flashes of his future in her mind's eye. Oh my! THIS was interesting. Outwardly she merely smiled serenely and stood, eyes dancing as he stepped away from her.

"Thank you for taking care of my aniki, and for answering what you could of his questions. Don't worry the rest he will be told later." With out another word she turned towards the guest room door and left the dour Potions Master behind, missing the look of confusion on Severus' face. Harry opened his eyes when she walked in and smiled warily.

"I didn't get all the answers I wanted. Plus the feelings I had in my dream are back, like I'm experiencing emotions that aren't mine. Am I going insane?" He wondered aloud, emerald orbs filling with slight fear.

Luna sighed and set her satchel by the bed before climbing under the covers with him. She brought him close in a tight embrace and allowed the beating of her heart soothe him.

"You won't have all the answers right yet. But I promise you'll have some soon. Just trust me when I say that those emotions aren't necessarily a bad thing." She replied as Harry wiggled to get comfortable. Harry sighed but hummed his agreement and they fell into a comfortable silence. Then:

"If I were to make a truce with Voldemort, would you guys still want me?' Was the timid question. Luna rolled her eyes.

"Hon, as long as what you do wasn't signing your death warrant, we wouldn't care. We'll follow you wherever your heart leads you."

Harry snorted.

"Some would say that talking to Voldemort WAS signing your death." He retorted.

Luna chuckled and tweaked his nose, causing him to yelp indignantly. He wasn't a child after all!

"Yes but you know better. Now you wanna talk about your problem?" She started, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Immediately wary, Harry fidgeted.

"What problem?"

Luna snickered.  
"The one where you have a crush on every hot male that moves?"

Harry blushed a bright crimson and playfully swatted his sister on the shoulder.  
"I do not!"

"Atropos, Cedric, Blaise, Professor Snape," she added the last name with a teasing grin. Harry's blush deepened and he pouted.

"I can't help how I feel."

Luna's eyes softened and she smiled good naturally. She understood how he felt if only a bit.

"Besides, Luna. Why are you complaining? You don't even like men!" He teased back, tickling her stomach and sides.

Shrieking with laughter, they began a tickle fight that lasted for a good five or six minutes, until both were too tired to move. Eventually Luna had caught her breath,they cuddled once more and Luna hummed a little tune.

"Am I a whore for liking all these guys and wanting them? Does that make me greedy and dirty?" Harry quietly asked, sobering up from his giggle fit.

Sighing sadly, her heart hurting for her big brother's self deprecating emotions, gently carded her fingers through his shoulder length hair.

"No. You aren't greedy or even dirty. Those men care for you, even without the sexual aspect. Atropos, because you are kin; Cedric and Blaise, because you are all friends; Professor Snape, because you are his student. And you care for the, because they all have given you something to cherish. Now, about this thing you have with the professor. How long have you had THAT crush?" She asked the last bit with just as much curiosity as she had the honest love in the words before. Harry buried his face in his hands and groaned.

"Since Second year. I realized that his voice was smooth. When he talked it felt like I was being intimately caressed. And when you look closely, his eyes aren't really black. They are just so dark of a brown that they appear black. And you know how everyone makes fun of his nose, skin, and hair? It's a glamour! Well, the skin and hair are. The nose really does appear broken. But his hair looks so silky smooth and his skin so baby soft..." Harry just stopped himself from fantasizing and Luna chuckled, mildly surprised at Harry's ability to see beyond Snape's glamour. Harry's magic must be stronger than they thought.

"Well. It won't matter if I like him now." That pulled her out of her thoughts and she scowled. What was her big brother on about?

"He knows Luna." He finished, seeing her look of irritation before she could stop it and he inwardly flinched. He knew he was aggravating when he said things like that, but still. How could his Potions Master ever want him? Luna winced at seeing her brother's masked hurt. Cedric wouldn't be pleased with her reaction.

"I know for a fact he will come to care for you greatly so get that bollocks out of your thick skull alright?" She stated firmly, causing Harry's eyes to widen. If she said 'I know for a fact' it meant she'd Seen something. Harry's eyes filled with such hope that she sighed in relief.

"Really?"

"Yes."

They were quiet again, each lost in thought. Then:

"We should tell Cedric and Blaise about your dream ok?"

Harry nodded and snuggled closer to his sister, delicious thoughts of the Shadow Demon eclipsing his excitement over Severus.

"Thank you, Luna."

Luna rolled her eyes again but smiled kindly.  
"Anything for you, aniki."

Harry waited a full minute before smirking.  
"So who do you like?"

A pillow to the face was his answer.

-The Chamber of Secrets, Second Year-

Tom Riddle watched as the boy left with the unconscious girl and sighed. Had he made the right decision in letting the child go? He wasn't sure. He knew that the kid was special though. And he also knew that his older self would want to know what information (plus those curious emotions) that he'd gathered. Sighing one more, he called for his Basilisk and glared at the diary. He didn't want to be stuck in that again...but...he could better share with his older self if he did.

::Master?::

::I need you to undertake, what will undoubtably be, a long journey. ::

The Basilisk tilted its head in thought before finally nodding for Tom to continue. Tom sighed in relief. Sometimes Basilisks could be so troublesome. However, he needed to make this quick. He had to be out of the Chamber before Dumbledore found a way down with his bloody flaming parrot. He was pretty sure the old man had used Harry with the hopes that the child would get rid of the diary with no hair coming to his old wrinkly paws. Bringing his attention back to the present, he pointed to the diary and locked his gaze on the lovely muzzle of the giant snake. Granted the beast had its harmful vision off, but he certainly wasn't taking any chances.

::I need you to locate and give this diary to the wizard that smells and feels exactly like me. You will probably be traveling far. I need you to protect the diary with your life until you reach your destination. Once there, my older self will take care of you alright?:: he asked, gently petting the Basilisk's large scales.

It hissed its pleasure at being pet but gave a snake nod. Tom gave the Chamber one last look-over then sighed and returned back to the diary. He felt when the Basilisk wrapped its enormous tongue around him and placed him share in one of its pocketed scales; a trick not many knew a Basilisk had. It was a way for them to store food for later. Then they were moving and he sat back for a long wait. During this time he went over what happened with Harry. All the things he'd learned, all the new questions posed. In a way he was excited. Very excited. He hadn't had this much of a challenge in a while. He knew that the older version of himself would positively salivate over this new puzzle.   
Part of him wanted to protect this child though. They really did have similar pasts. Although this child seemed to have held onto most of his innocence regardless of the pain caused him. Were as Tom had become hard and angry, Harry accepted his lot in life and kept smiling. It was rare. He desperately wished to keep that innocence safe.  
He was brought out of his musings when he felt a power similar to his own opening his pages. 

Finally!

+Why did you instruct the Basilisk to bring me this?+ asked scrawl so like his own.

Tom chuckled within the diary and a wicked glee entered the memory's eyes.

+We need to talk.+ he replied, his answering scrawl almost identical.

He felt the curiosity in Voldemort's magic spike.  
+Oh? What about?+

+Harry Potter.+

Another spike and Tom smirked in triumph.

+I'm listening.+


	11. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: 24 weeks in! Lol!  
> Anyways here is the update for Death's Heir! Finally! It took four days! And omg my iPad deleted everything! I almost cried until I found it as a back up on my phone (thank you smart phone) and so I completed it xD  
> Hope you like! Oh and if you get the Ten and Four reference, 'Allon-sy!'
> 
> Enjoy!

Death's Heir chapter 10- 

Christmas morning Harry found himself wrapped up in the warm embrace of Cedric. They had fallen asleep shortly after midnight, following another heated make out session. Harry had been brave enough to give Cedric a blow job, with lots of blushing on Harry's part, which had made Cedric more than happy. Of course, the older teen had reciprocated and Harry had been left feeling as if he'd been transported to heaven. Harry's gaze traveled over the face of his sleeping bed mate, and smiled.   
He thought he could honestly say he loved Cedric. Enough to spend the rest of his life with him. He wanted to be protected and loved by this man. He knew he could be too. No matter who else became his lover in the future, Cedric...he wanted Cedric to be his first.

"You look adorable when you think too hard, Muerte." Rumbled Cedric's sleep laden voice, making Harry jump slightly.

He frowned and gently pushed Cedric in the chest, while the Shadow Demon grinned mischievously. He flipped over on top of his lover and began to slowly kiss the fledgeling dementor, causing said soul-eater to moan and forget why he'd pushed Cedric in the first place. Harry gasped when Cedric pressed his clothed erection against his own and the older male smirked against his lips.

"So my beautiful Muerte. What has you so distracted this morning?" He thought for a minute before adding,'Well besides the fact it's Christmas Day'

Harry writhed beneath Cedric, who was now kissing down his jaw, and tried to formulate a response through his haze of pleasure. Cedric chuckled and ground. His hips down causing Harry to keen and grip his Shadow Demon tightly. 

"I -ah- was t-thinking about -oh fuck!- you, Ced." He finally managed and whimpered when said demon stopped moving to stare at him in shock.

"What about?"

Harry blushed and ran his hands nervously up and down Cedric's bare arms, the silk of their pajama pants making havoc across his heated skin. He bit his lips and wiggled a bit.

"A-about how much I-I love you." He whispered, refusing to meet Cedric's gaze for fear of seeing disgust and hatred.

He heard Cedric's shocked inward breath, and prepared himself for the inevitable. Imagine his surprise when, instead of being shunned, he was suddenly being snogged within and inch of his life and all he could do was moan and hold on for the ride. Suddenly he felt a hand wrap around his cock and he cried out at the touch. He felt a spike in his lover's magic as it wrapped around him and he arched into Cedric's touch. The ferocity was new. He felt as if he was being claimed. Marked. His Avada Kedavra curse eyes were heavy with lust as he searched Cedric's face for any sign as to what was going on in his lover's mind. What he saw had him moaning loudly, making his desire known to the world. Domination. Mine. That's what his expression said. Harry agreed, whole heartedly. His. He would be Cedric's no matter who else came along. The hand on his length sped up and Harry arched into him, biting hard on Cedric's earlobe, causing the Shadow Demon to growl low in his throat.

"Cedric! Faster! Please!" He whimpered around the appendage, garnering another feral growl.

As the pace was picked up, Cedric pulled them into another passionate kiss, all tongues and teeth. Wanting to give Cedric as much pleasure as he was receiving, he trailed his hand down his lover's torso until he came to the offending waistband that kept him from the sight his body burned for. Dipping his hand under the cloth, he swiftly grabbed his lover's sizable erection and moaned at the feel of its silky smooth exterior.   
It was amazing how something so soft to the touch could be so hard and heated all at once. It made him pause to just enjoy the feel of his beloved's flesh in his hands, squeezing gently to enjoy the contradictions. Cedric bucked into the touch, snorted, his teeth becoming slightly vampiric as his inner demon took control. Harry cried out once more when his neck was attacked with nips and licks as they continued to pleasure each other.

Soon Harry was shouting as he came hard, calling his demon's name and triggering Cedric's own release in the process. They were trapped in the afterglow for what seemed forever, gathering at the shred's of their humanity and desperately panting for air as if they would run out. His partner rolled over to the side so that Harry got a good look at the rising and falling of his chest as they recovered from their love making. Gently, Cedric nuzzled his lovers neck, smiling happily.

"I think that was the best present anyone has ever given me, Muerte." The older teen stated gruffly, eyes watering slightly.

I love you.

He'd wanted to hear those words from Harry for a long time. He was so glad he heard it before Blaise and that blasted Dementor Lord. He wasn't a fool. He kne he would end up sharing Harry, but he was glad that he was the child's first. He would cherish this moment for as long as he lived. Harry, for his part, felt his face heat up in a bright flush; his heart feeling as if it would burst from his chest. He'd made someone happy! And not just anyone, but the person he loved very dearly. He giggled when he was nuzzled again. Cedric rumbled in pleasure at the sound and wandlessly cleared the mess they'd made in their pants. 

"My little Muerte. I love you too. You have come to mean so much to me. I am glad we are able to share Christmas together." Cedric lay small kisses all over Harry's face, causing him to giggle some more. His grey eyes shined as their gazes locked and Harry didn't think the day could get any better.

" I'm glad too, Cedric." He replied kindly, love welling in his chest.

Rubbing their noses together, Cedric sat up on his arms and grinned. 

"So we have a lot planned today for you. I heard from Luna that your previous Christmas days were spent in the company of a certain red head and before that you didn't get a Christmas at all. We are changing that."

Harry's emerald eyes widened in shock.

"But I don't have anything for you guys."

Cedric snorted and bit down on Harry's ear, causing the soul-eater to gasp and wiggle.

"That, my love, is not the point. You have given all of us a lot more than that. Now. No arguing. We have presents and food and maybe a little Weasley torture in there for you today." He informed, licking a trail up his lover's chin, and succeeding in making Harry moan. Cedric pulled away with a final kiss to his Dementor Prince's lips and smiled winningly.

"Now. Let's get ourselves clean and dressed. We're meeting the others in the Room of Requirement." 

Puzzled, Harry tilted his head to the side, looking remarkably like a puppy. Cedric denied to himself that he wanted to squeal as the adorableness of it, and sat up. He helped his lover out of bed and summoned towels as they padded over to the bathroom.

"The Room of Requirement is a room in Hogwarts that appears when you have need of it. Marcus is going to set it up as a safe room so taht Dumbledore can't ruin your Christmas Day. We'll need your invisibility cloak." Cedric responded, answering Harry's unasked question. Harry nodded and guessed that the invisibility cloak would be for keeping his movements to the ROR a secret.

They took a slow shower, sharing tender kisses and snuggling under the water as they washed each other off. When they were done, they dressed. Harry in a black turtleneck and light blue jeans, and Cedric in a dark green shirt and dark blue jeans. As they readied to leave, Cedric grabbed Harry's invisibility cloak and wrapped it around the shorter teens shoulders.   
They made their way down Hogwarts' many corridors until they reached the Seventh Floor. They traversed the near silent halls of Hogwarts until they came to the seventh floor and they spotted Blaise standing outside a large wooden door. Spotting them, Blaise grinned and they hurried inside. Cedric swept the cloak off of Harry and the younger was assaulted with numerous hugs from those gathered. The mini soul-eater looked about the room and noted who was there.

Blaise, who wore a simple green long sleeved shirt that had a silver snake that wound it's way up it, from the hem of the shirt to the collar. His pants were slim black jeans and his dark hair was slicked back from his face in typical pureblood fashion. Luna was there as well, dressed in a bright purple dress and wearing a necklace of bottle caps around her neck. Her blonde hair was done up in a braid that trailed to her hips.   
Atropos, who was sitting on a couch in the center of the room- which appeared as a giant living room complete with fireplace and large Christmas tree surrounded by presents- sported a black turtleneck like Harry. Only his was covered with a trench coat. A pair of black slacks completed the ensemble. His shoulder length black tresses were loosely held back, only leaving the pointy toothed grin in view when the teen caught him staring. His attentions a furious blush up the Gryffindor's cheeks, seemingly unnoticed by the others. Marcus nodded his head at Harry as he sipped from a handy hip flask. He was wearing silver robes over a green shirt and black slack. His dark hair and equally dark eyes were both soft looking and kind, unlike when they were forced to interact with the general populace. 

Draco and Severus sat together on another couch by the fireplace, both dressed in similar robes. Both appeared calm and content, offering Harry brief smiles. Cedric chuckled at the stunned expression Harry sported and calmly guided him to the couch by Atropos. He sat the teen down on his lap after plopping down on the dark brown leather himself. He shot the human-like Dementor a smug smirk when Harry curled up against his chest but the older Dementor merely raised an amused brow.

"So. First there's presents for our beloved Harry." Luna stated, getting the top most present off of the mini stack and carrying it to Harry," then there's a mistletoe with Harry's name on it. Finally, we'll get to breakfast and the beginning stage of our Ron torture."

Harry snickered, a hand covering his mouth as his eyes danced with mirth. He didn't even consider stopping them. They deserved to get revenge after all he'd put them through. He hadn't meant for them to be so concerned over his welfare. Plus, he really hated Ron now. He was looking forward to whatever they had planned. Accepting the first present he read that it was from the currently fast becoming tipsy, Blaise.   
Opening the package, he gulped. Inside was a teddy bear sized stuffed wolf. A lovely smokey grey color with amber eyes. It had a giant ribbon about its neck that stated for someone to hug it. Which Harry did with a large grin on his face. At the bottom of the package was a beautiful purple knitted scarf. Harry gasped and immediately wrapped it around his neck, uncaring if he looked childish for the action. They would all be surprised when they saw him carrying around the stuffed animal constantly if that was the case.

"Thank you, Blaise." He whispered, hugging the wolf close to his chest once more. His Slytherin friend blushed but grinned dopeyly. 

The next present was from Atropos. It was a silver locket with a piece of his Dementor cloak inside and spells on it to better protect Harry from the sun. The locket itself was the size of a galleon. On its surface was etched a Greek word that Atropos later informed him was the dementor's name. Harry slipped it on, feeling honored to wear such a personal item. The wraith appeared extremely smug about the acceptance. Then came Cedric's present. It was a silver bracelet with runes of protection etched into its surface. Harry slipped it on too, offering Cedric a brilliant grin.

"I have one more present. I talked to my father about you and he really wants you to come over the last two weeks of summer. Will you come?" Cedric asked, running his fingers through Harry's hair.  
Harry's eyes filled with delight and he turned in his lover's lap to hug his lithe form tight, decorating the older teen with numerous passionate kisses. Cedric hugged his little Dementor lover tight as well, relishing the moment of pure love.

"Yes! Of course I'd love to come over! You'll have to rescue me from the Dursleys but, yes!" Harry exclaimed, pulling away from Cedric, giving the Shadow Demon one last kiss to the lips.

He returned his attention to the others and was given his next gift- this one from Severus. He had been expecting a book or something to further better himself with but instead he gasped at the picture of his mother staring at him out from a plain wooden frame. The picture if his mother waved at him with a happy, proud smile, as if truly aware her child was looking at her. Harry bit his lip to keep it from trembling and he gave his potions professor a tremendous smirk.

"T-thank you, sir. The Dursleys destroyed my old photo book. I thought I'd never see another picture of my mother again." He whispered, clutching it, along with the wolf, to his chest.

Before Severus could reply, he obviously wanted to if the thunderous look was anything to go by, Atropos growled and spoke for all present when he said:

"I can't wait to teach them a lesson."

Harry turned back to the rest of the present in his lap and chuckled wetly. In his lap was a book on Occlumency and other mind magics. Ahh, there was the whole 'bettering himself' portion. He gave the older male a grateful smile, then set his present aside to accept his next one.  
From Draco he received a packet of wizarding cigarettes, 'so you stop stealing mine', and a new flask; this one with a dragon on it so he could differentiate between Draco's and Blaise's - who had given him the flask with a wolf on its front.  
Luna gave him a purple stuffed dragon and Harry laughed before setting it beside his wolf. In his head he imagined them having a conversation to get to know each other and cackled to himself. He was nuts it seemed.   
Luna, however, seemed to understand his rather insane moment and simply shrugged and pointed to herself, indicating that she was no different. He chuckled.  
Finally, came Markus' gift, which turned out to be rather simple, even if it brought a wave of sadness to him. The gift was a black leather bound journal that he could use to write in when his nightmares got too bad. He gave Markus a nod of thanks and then all of his presents were gathered up and placed at the corner of the couch with the exception of his new stuffed toys. Then they conjured a piece of mistletoe and stood Harry under it. 

Laughing at the absurdity, they all lined up in front of Harry. Blaise was first and gave Harry such a snogging that Harry felt as if his toes had curled permanently under his feet. Blaise, of course, gave Harry a cheeky grin and moved to the door to wait for the party to move to breakfast.  
Cedric growled and made Blaise's snog fest seem like a chaste kiss in comparison. Harry moaned heatedly and whimpered when Cedric pulled away with a smug smirk and a nip to his lower lip. He too moved to stand by the door.  
Atro gave Harry a tender kiss, complete with romantic tipping, leaving the teen swearing that there were solar systems doing cartwheels in his brain.   
Severus' kiss was a tender but chaste kiss to the lisps while gently cupping Harry's cheek, leaving the Lytis Demon's eyes smoldering.  
From the others he received gentle kisses to the forehead, or cheek in Luna's case. After it's job was, more than, done the mistletoe was banished and the troop of friends made their way out of the Room of Requirement. Both stuffed animals in one arm and Cedric's hand in his free hand, Harry grinned happily. This was by far the best Christmas ever! But he had one question.

"Marcus? Does our group have a name?"

The older Slytherin blanched.

"You know, I don't think we do. Would you like to name us for future generations?"

Harry fervently hoped there were no further generations, but he wasn't so foolish as to believe there wouldn't be.

"How about Silver Hope?"

Cedric smirked and Severus snorted.

"Every cloud has it's silver lining. How very Ravenclaw of you, Harry."

Harry shrugged and hugged his stuffed animals closer even as he was guided by the others to the Great Hall. He liked the name personally. It was simple and easy to remember. They remained relatively silent as they continued walking. Apparently the first phase of their payback with Ron happened at breakfast. A brilliant humiliation thanks to Luna's beautiful mind. Harry and the others arrived at the doors to the Great Hall and smiled at each other before entering and splitting up. Draco for the Slytherin table and the few students who'd stayed for the holidays, and Severus for the Head Table, a scowl of irritation on his face. After all he couldn't seem as if he actually enjoyed being in the company of certain students.

Marcus gave Ron, who was pigging out on numerous food groups, a smug look; the rest of his Slytherin brethren looking on. Atropos actually stayed with the group, hidden in the deepest shadows of the room with a stealthy notice-me-not charm. He wouldn't miss a second of Ron's punishments. The others could see him as he shifted in the darkness, their less than human eyesight easily picking up the movement. They all gathered to sit at the Hufflepuff table today. It was almost like getting a front row seat to the show.  
Harry sat his stuffed animals on either side of his plate, ignoring the stares from the other students. He knew they were looking at the scar on his neck that was partially visible regardless of the turtleneck. He smiled at his wolf and dragon plushie a and turned to Luna, who sat next to him on one side while Cedric, Blaise and Atropos sat across from them.

"Should I name them?"

Luna smiled dreamily. She nodded happily and pointed to the wolf.

"I like, Ten for that handsome wolf."

Harry laughed but nodded his acceptance. He bit his lip as he peered at his dragon plushie. It was purple and odd, just like him. Well, minus being purple.

"I think you shall be, Four! Luna! Luna! Don't you think it's perfect?" He exclaimed happily, garnering looks of amusement from the trio of males.

Luna simply smiled and hugged her brother close, glad that Harry was so happy.

"It sounds wonderful! Ten and Four are beautiful names." She stated and Harry smiled before beginning to eat while passing glances between each plushie like he was watching a conversation.

Blaise gave Luna a questioning look and she raised a brow.

"These are the first stuffed animals he has ever had.' She replied.

A dark look flashed across the Slytherin's features and he looked away. Poor Harry. He never had the chance to have a childhood. Atropos raked his eyes over the Gryffindor table before sparing Luna an amused dark look.

"Well darling, are you going to grace us with your ideas?"

Luna grinned wolfishly and brought out her wand.

"Enjoy." She stated and waved her wand a few times, muttering three spells under her breath.

A screech from Gryffindor table told them it was ok to look and when they did all four males had to fight to keep the sadistic glee off of their faces. They laughed when everyone else did though.

"I personally think the radish earrings are a nice touch, Luna." Atropos stated with a laugh.

True enough, Ronald Weasley, standing with a look of horror in his eyes, sported bright orange radish earrings in his ears, accompanied with a bright yellow dress and a long elephant trunk. Harry giggled and made a show of pointing Ron out to his plushie companions. Luna smirked at her mode of revenge being completed. The best part was that her brother was satisfied. Smiling.

"Thank you, Luna." Harry finally said softly and hugged his baby sister once more. Luna beamed.

"It's not done yet. Every time he screams..."

At that moment a loud elephant trill sounded through the Great Hall as Ron 'screamed' and ran from the room.

"-yeah, that happens." Luna finished, looking smug.

Blaise laughed and Cedric snorted, eyes mirthful. Atropos' cackle was hidden beneath the necessary silencing charm. Luna had felt that it may be needed once her fun was revealed. It was a wonderful punishment.

"Good job, Luna. Who's up next?" Cedric asked, munching on a piece of cheese.

Blaise waved a hand in front of himself.

"Me. I get to take off a limb."

Harry perked up.

"What are you going for?"

Blaise's eyes glittered coldly.

"His wand arm?"

The three other males winced. Losing your wand arm was harsh. Not that any of them thought he deserved less.

"When will you do that?" Luna asked softly, spooning some multicolored jello into her mouth. Blaise snorted and sipped at his goblet of pumpkin juice.

"I'll do it when he's on his way to the Gryffindor Tower after lunch." 

They nodded in agreement and continued eating. Halfway through their meal the mail came, Harry's owl Hedwig swooping down to her owner; an envelope clutched in her claws. She landed beside him and stuck out her foot, waving it a bit while hooting softly. She knew her master was skittish and trusted few in his life. She wanted him to know that the letter was safe. A mere letter. Harry was astounded though. When was the last time he'd ever received anything? And how did that person get Hedwig? Brushing these questions aside, he pulled off the letter and fed her pieces of toast before opening the letter and reading it's contents.

"Dear Harry,

I am writing to you to bequest an audience with you for tomorrow at lunchtime in the Shrieking Shack. You can get to it through the underground tunnel at the base of the Whomping Willow. Just throw a rock at the knot and you can pass unscathed. I promise on my magic, that no harm shall come to you. I just want to talk. It's long over due I think. Bring any friend you want for added assurance. They will be safe as well. All I'm asking is to be given a chance.

Sincerely yours,

Sirius Black."

Harry's eyes widened with every line he read and he paled. Quickly he passed the note to Cedric, who read it with narrowed eyes. Finally, he looked at his lover and handed the letter back.

"What do you wish to do?" He inquired kindly.

Harry worried his bottom lip and gazed at all of his friends in turn, each with a look of determination and protective fierceness in their eyes.

"We'll go. I want to see this man and find out what he has to say."

They nodded and returned to their plates, thoughts of torturing Ron, for the moment, forgotten.


	12. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Well this is the update! XD  
> Omg can you guys believe I'm nearly 27 weeks along? It feels like I have a live soccer ball in my tummy right now xD but I don't regret it xD   
> Anyways, we see a bit of the revenge bit in this, I hope you enjoy! And for those who are waiting patiently for an update on Exhibit A I ask you wait a bit longer. It's being a butt.  
> Enjoy!

Death's Heir chapter 11-

Blaise cackled in his mind as he followed his prey. He'd burrowed Harry's invisibility cloak to mask his movements, first assuring his friend that he would get his cloak back in perfect condition. The Italian smiled at the thought of his brother in all but blood. Harry, despite all of the problems he faced, still came out with a smile on his face and a warm hug. Harry rarely cut anymore, even though he admitted he often felt as if he'd like to, and instead drank and smoked or downed the occasional pill from Luna. Just a bit ago, before Blaise had left to go on his hunt, Harry had been happily sneaking sips from his wolf flask, while alternating between snuggling closer to his Shadow Demon chair and flipping through a Dark. Magic book. They had all decided that during each stage of the revenge that Harry should have solid alibis. That had led the left over threesome to the library's doors. It was as they were getting comfortable that Blaise had started on his mission. 

Pulling himself out of his reverie and focusing on the task at hand, he followed Ron as he made his way to the Gryffindor Tower. Ron's elephant trunk was absent but Luna had already informed them it wouldn't last long. The ones that did were the earrings and the dress. Still, the red head arrogantly swaggered through the halls as if he owned them. Blaise sneered. Well. They certainly couldn't have that now could they?

When Ron neared an alcove Blaise pushed the Gryffindor to the ground with a well placed hex that bound the arrogant red head in inescapable rope binds. The coward's eyes darted around frantically, unable to make out his attackers. Blaise's smile showed why Harry considered the dark haired Slytherin a wolf. He swept off the cloak in a flourish that would have made Lucius Malfoy green with envy.  
When the Gryffindor menace's eyes alighted on his revealed form, they narrowed and he opened his big mouth to rant off a few good insults. Too bad Blaise was quicker and cast a silencing spell. After all, his mission was simple. Get his task over with and return to Harry in the library. He couldn't listen to the bastard lest he make the mistake of punishing the brash idiot more than what was initially called for. He leaned closer to the now gaping, wide-eyed lion and once more he grinned wolfishly. 

"Now. As I understand it, you're in some dire need of discipline. I am here to make you see the foolishness that comes with messing with my friends. Especially Harry. Best part? That silencing spell I just used? It was two parts. One to silence you now, while I enact my vengeance. Two to make sure you can't tattle like the child you are. Isn't Magic grand?"

That said, Blaise pointed the tip of his wand into the spot of Ron's shoulder where Ron's wand arm and shoulder met. The simple cutting curse was more than effective and the Gryffindor silently screamed as his arm was severed from his body and fell uselessly to the ground, Blaise's sneer deepened, feeling this action tame compared to what he really craved to do. The Italian watched idly as blood pooled out beneath the red head and sniffed in irritation. He supposed that was enough blood loss. He grinned once more, teeth flashing sinisterly. He was going to enjoy this.

"Have fun explaining this, bastardo." He hissed and muttered a spell that cause the tip of his wand to become red hot. 

Slowly, as to draw out the immense pain, Blaise trailed the tip all along the severed flesh, cauterizing the wound. All the while Ron silently screamed, until with a vicious twist of Blaise's wand tip, the red haired traitor passed out. Scoffing in disgust, the Slytherin turned and left, knowing that this idiot would be found soon and not wishing to be anywhere near the lion's den when he was.

'Mission accomplished.' Blaise purred inwardly, slipping through the halls, silent and invisible, back to his brothers and sister. He had a report to give.

\--

Harry shifted slightly, a small smile of satisfaction on his face. He was currently curled up in Cedric's lap while his plushies were reading in. Luna's. Said blonde was reading aloud to all of them about different Dark Spells from the book she had borrowed from her father when he had been researching stuff about how to go about catching Nargles.  
It was nice spending so much time with the people he cared about. He watched as Luna pointed out the pictures of wand movements to Four and Ten as if they were alive. He felt better knowing she was similar with her toys. He snuggled closer to Cedric, the older teen chuckling and holding him tighter. He didn't care though. Today was a good day. And as soon as Blaise returned it would be even better. 

He wondered how Ron would look by dinner? It was sure to be humorous. Sighing, Harry turned his head to nuzzle his lover's neck. He wondered idly if he and Cedric could be considered dating? He figured it was probable at least in the eyes of those despicable humans. Oh well, he didn't care what they were called as long as they were together. Cedric gently ran his hands through Harry's unruly locks and almost snickered when the younger teen leant into the touch like a pleased cat. He, like Harry, thought it nice that the three of them could spend time together without irritating Light morons messing things up.

Realizing she no longer had the boy's attention, Luna closed the book she'd been reading and sat it on the side table. Curling up in her chair, she situated the plushies in her lap so that they were facing Harry and Cedric, then smiled. She felt that they made a nice couple. But then again, she though that any of the males that Harry had chosen were good for him. They all treated him fairly, even Severus, who was still undecided as to how he should feel about Harry. And it was obvious, even to an outsider if they looked hard enough, that they all cared a great deal for him. She was brought out if her thoughts when she heard her brother moan, and looked up to see the younger teen now straddling the older teen's lap, their mouths connected passionately.  
Rolling her eyes in exasperation, she covered the dragon and wolf plushie's eyes and waited until they were done. She couldn't begrudge them their moments. They pulled away with a soft smack and Harry lay his head on Cedric's chest.

"What are we going to do about tomorrow, Ced?" The raven-haired teen asked suddenly.

Cedric sighed, rubbing Harry's back.

"You, Atro, and I will meet with Sirius at his requested location. He will know that he can't mess with you if he tries."

"What about Blaise and Luna?"

"We will keep the Bumblebee busy while you four talk." Luna interjected.

Harry nodded and cuddled closer to his own personal chair. He had to admit he was nervous about meeting this man who claimed he only wished to talk. According to Cedric and Luna the guy had been named Harry's godfather, which of course boggled his mind. Should he trust this man simply because he'd known his mother? No he wouldn't make the same mistake twice. He'd gone about things like that for far too long. He'd go and get the information from the man himself, yes, but he wouldn't just blindly trust this man based on his friendship with Harry's family. He blinked when a hand trailed through his hair, calming him at once. He peered up at Cedric through his fringe and was given a soft smile in return.

"Don't worry. Everything will work out." The Shadow Demon promised, and he placed a chaste kiss to his love's forehead.

He really didn't want Harry so worried over this, but he understood why he was. It was so sudden of a request. And who knew what the ex-Gryffindor was now capable of after almost thirteen years in Azkaban?

A clearing of a throat made all of them snap their heads towards its source. Cedric contained a growl as he took in the form of the headmaster, who was sending glares at Harry. Said young Dementor burrowed almost imperceptibly into Cedric's embrace.

"Hello, children. Mr. Diggory, Miss Lovegood. I was wondering if I could speak to you alone for a moment?" The twinkle that the man was famous for had returned to the headmaster's gaze.

Luna and Cedric exchanged quick glances with each other before Cedric shook his head.

"We'll just talk to Harry about what you have to say later, sir. So it's best you just come out and say what you wish to." Cedric replied with a blank face and cold gray eyes.

Dumbledore's twinkle died down slightly. His smile of kindness faltered. 

"I really must insist you stoping hanging out with this child. He'll be a bad influence on you find young children." He stated rather coldly.

Cedric's eyes narrowed, knowing what the headmaster wasn't saying. They were basically being threatened away from Harry. Dumbledore was attempting to use the same tactics he'd used for the other Houses on them.

"Or what, sir? You'll take House points? I hardly care about House points that the other Hufflepuffs can win back." Cedric retorted, irritation flashing through his calm facade.

Luna's dreamy smile didn't reach her eyes as she stood from her chair and made her way over to her brother, handing him his stuffed animals.

"The Ravenclaws only care about learning. House points mean nothing. Not even to me, sir." She stated seriously.

Dumbledore appeared to count to ten as he looked to each of them individually. He was furious they could tell. Finally the old man turned his eyes to Cedric.

"I will make your lives at home so much worse than they are, Mr. Diggory." Stated the headmaster, all grandfatherly kindness absent.

He really hated the Shadow Demon. But this evil child in said Shadow Demon's lap was a much worse abomination. They were all surprised when Harry stood in a blaze of rage, the room growing colder as he stood protectively in front of his lover and friend. He seemed intimidating even though he held his stuffed animals in his arms.

"Don't you dare touch either of them, headmaster." He began but was pulled back to Cedric's lap before he could finish.

"Stop, Harry. Don't give him a reason to cast you out of Hogwarts." Cedric turned cold eyes to Dumbledore."My father has taken the precautions that were needed to ensure our safety, I assure you headmaster. And really, you should get to know someone before you accuse them."

The headmaster was about to respond when Blaise, in all his Slytherin timing, swept in, a look of boredom on his face. The look of utter contempt on the old coot's face when he the Italian strode over to Harry and ruffled his hair, was enough to have Harry struggling to get out of Cedric's grip. He felt this insane urge to drain the headmaster dry. All husk. No soul. Cedric hissed and thrust Harry into Blaise's arms.

"Get him out of here. We'll all talk later. Take him someplace quiet." And by quiet, if he could get there of course, he meant their spot in the ROR, to ply the distressed teen with an assortment of drinks to calm him until they could return. 

Blaise nodded, the message clearly received, holding a still wiggling Harry close.

"Ced, I want to help, please!" Harry cried out.

His lover had helped him so much the last four months and yet here, when he had the chance, he was being pushed away.

"Harry. I need your to trust me ok? I'm thrilled that you want to protect me and Luna but I need you to leave with Blaise right now." The older teen stated calmly.

Green eyes met silver for a minute, before Harry looked away and stopped his struggle. Harry finally gazed hatefully at Dumbledore, causing said man to flinch. The room grew colder and for a brief moment, if you looked closely into his eyes, you could spy the hunger in their depths.

"Go Blaise!" Cedric snapped, seeing it and knowing his lover was close to Feeding.

Harry couldn't Feed on the headmaster. The man may be evil incarnate but he was still a Light wizard. If Harry sucked in his soul...  
Cedric watched as his love was dragged away, stuffed animals and all. He had a feeling that Blaise would take Harry to the dungeon near Professor Snape rather than the Astronomy Tower or the ROR. That was alright as well he supposed. The potions master could give Harry a potion that would ease his anger....or if Harry cut like he believed he might, heal him.

Cedric inwardly winced. Harry wasn't going to be happy with him. Especially, seeing as his lover was only trying to help and he'd turned him away. He wondered if this could be considered their first fight and then shook off the thought. If it was, he'd make sure there weren't any more after this. His lover had experienced enough turmoil in his life.  
Turning back to the headmaster, who appeared more than a little triumphant (damn that incessant twinkle!), Cedric sneered.

"Now tell me what you really wish to say to us ,Headmaster. Tell me why you have singled out an innocent child and made him an outcast in a place that is supposed to be his home away from home?" He drawled, sounding remarkably like a certain snarky professor.

Dumbledore drew himself up straight, looking self important. Luna sniffed in disdain but said nothing and Cedric barely contained a growl.

"I would like for you to go back to being in your own House and keep away from Mr. Potter. He's the darkness incarnate. It's part of being cursed by the Dark Lord, I'm sure. He deserves no kindness. Especially as he's squandered the good friendships he had in Gryffindor."

Cedric felt his fangs grow in his rage and fought for that control he desperately needed right now. Luna appeared to be shaking with the force of her own anger. Maneuvering his lips so that his elongated teeth wouldn't show, he let his best mask slip into place as he gave the old coot his full attention.

"Thank you for the warning, headmaster, but I for one am sure that my friendship with Harry is none of your business. Also, those Gryffindor's you speak so highly of, tried to kill Harry. Twice. So forgive me if I don't take your words to heart." Cedric finally replied, eyes dark grey.

Luna hummed for a moment, eyes traveling the room.

"The other students may believe every word that comes out of your mouth, headmaster, but we won't. We gather facts before we put faith in anyone. Since when was it the headmaster's job to alienate a student?" The blonde asked with an arched brow.

Dumbledore scowled realizing that these children weren't so easily persuaded as the other mindless sheep under his command. He opened his mouth to respond but was waylaid by the appearance of his medi-witch. It had taken a bit of convincing on his part but she'd finally begun to believe the things he'd told her about Harry. Of course none of them were true...but the child was Dark. He could sense it. The child deserved whatever hardships were thrown his way.

"Headmaster! Come quick!"

"What is it, Madame?"

"Ronald Weasley! His arm has been severed from his body! It was cauterized before he was found. I can't reattach it!"

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed. He wanted to blame the child but he couldn't with out looking foolish. He turned his attention back to the Hufflepuff and the Ravenclaw, bowing his head in acknowledgment.

"Well just think on what I said." Not bloody likely.

That said, the headmaster flew out of the room to check on his favorite student. Cedric and Luna exchanged glances and smirks as they left the library with their things. Plan two of Ron's torture was a success. Now to check up on Harry.


	13. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N : hope you enjoy this new chapter!

Deaths Heir chapter 12

Cedric and Luna were let into Severus' rooms and instantly their eyes widened in shock. The rooms were torn apart like a tornado had ripped through them. Severus himself appeared shaken up, which could only mean one thing. Harry had been pissed.

"What happened?" Cedric whispered hoarsely.

He and Harry had never had a fight before. And even though the fight had seemed minor to him, he guessed the small teen had taken the removal of his person as rejection of some sort and had reacted accordingly. Coupled with the hunger from his need to feed, probably didn't help any.   
Severus motioned to the couch where Blaise sat with Harry, who looked to be half asleep in the Italians lap. Cedric saw the glazed look in his lover's eyes and winced. Luna tisked and glided over to her brother, sitting on the floor to run her fingers through his raven locks.

"He wouldn't control his rage in time. He kept raging about you. Apparently he though you didn't want him around anymore. Then his eyes brightened and the room was suddenly cold and then a burst of dark magic swirled around the room and voila." Severus stated calmly yet tiredly," I had been forced to sedate him. If you need to clear up things with him and feed him I would do it now in case his anger returns."

Cedric rubbed the bridge of his nose before gazing at his listless lover sadly. Shit. He had a lot of making up to do. Blaise even seemed to be mad at him, if the glare was anything to go by.

"It will more than likely take me all night to feed him not to mention convince him that I was simply trying to protect him." He gazed at Severus who motioned to the guest room, indicating it was ok to sleep there, then shifted his glance to Blaise." When he's better, tell us what went down with Ron. Dumbledore seemed livid when he found out."

Blaise nodded with pursed lips. Cedric gathered his lover in his arms, dreading the hours that were about to come. He didn't know if he'd be forgiven. He had known his lover wanted to protect him, but if he hadn't stopped him, Harry's anger would have driven him to feed off of the old Light wizard. It would have killed him. He couldn't lose Harry. He would do anything, even risk the teen's wrath, if it meant the Dementor Prince's safety. Cedric snorted to himself. When did he become a self proclaimed Dark Knight?  
Silently, he made his way inside the guest room and closed the door with a kick of his foot. He traversed the floor to the bed and with Harry still in his arms, positioned himself on the bed so that he still had his lover's body cradled in his lap. Slowly, after wandlessly setting up some protective wards in the room, he began unleashing his powers. He quickly wrapped his shadow magics around Harry's small frame, and then pulled back on the happy emotions he had leashed away. He fed his lover everything he could, knowing they would more than likely have a few more sessions of this before they were done talking.

But Cedric knew it would be worth it if his little love forgave him. Trusted his reasons. He trailed a hand through his lover's hair, humming softly under his breath, a tune his mother used to sing to him when he was younger. Green eyes, glazed from the potions in his system, gazed at him and he couldn't look away. He didn't want to. He wanted to apologize.

'Oh please understand my love' he thought, attempting to put his emotions into his eyes. To his complete horror, he felt tears in his eyes. Was he really that forgone with this child? It appeared so.  
He was startled when a cold hand rested on his cheek, tenderly cradling it. His eyes widened. Harry was trying to comfort him? The tears he had been attempting to stem, fell.

"I'm sorry, love. I never meant for you to feel as if I was rejecting you. Or like I didn't approve of you standing up for me. I just felt your spike in anger. In hunger. If you had fed on Dumbledore you would have died, Muerte!" He whispered, pressing his forehead to Harry's. 

Harry's magic, cold but soothing, burst out and linked intimately with his own Shadow Magics. The Dark Hufflepuff shivered at the feel. He continued to cry as his fledgling prince soothed him while he fed him.it was such a surreal experience.   
It was a few hours later that the demon stopped feeding Harry, and he pulled away, looking his lover over. The sedatives had worn off sometime ago and Harry appeared better by a lot. When Cedric once more met Harry's eyes, he was confronted with the Dementor's clear green orbs; alert and calm.

"I really am sorry, please forgive me?"

Harry looked away before smiling softly and nuzzling his face into Cedric's lap.

"If you insist. Just...next time...let me help you. I don't care if Dumbles was looking for a reason to kick me out, or if my powers were spiking to the point that I would employ 'The Kiss' ...we are friends, lovers, companions. We take care of each other. We have each other's back." Harry whispered in a sleepy voice.

He really did understand. And he really did forgive his shadow lover. Bit it had hurt. He had felt like he'd been slapped. He understood Cedric's reasons. And he was grateful. He didn't want to die. Not anytime soon, Harry sighed when Cedric began threading his fingers through his hair, mind pulling away from his thoughts to better soak up the sensations.

"I promise to allow you to help if it's necessary. If it endangers you though please listen to me and at least help from the shadows where you will be marginally safer?" Cedric compromised, gently placing kisses to Harry's forehead.

Harry yawned but nodded his agreement. Then he winced. He'd acted like such a brat. He'd destroyed Severus' rooms like a child. He burrowed closer to his lover and frowned.

"Do you think Sev will forgive me for ruining his room?"

Cedric scoffed but kissed his lover's nose to placate his nerves.

"He'll get over it, as long as you pay him back, and get better. It's Blaise that I'm concerned with."

Harry blinked.

"No, Harry. He won't have anything against you, love. He seemed rather irked at me, however." The demon mused.

Harry sighed and tiredly rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"I wonder what Atro will do?"

"He'd agree with me, I'm afraid."

"You think so?"

"I know it, Muerte. To us, your safety is our priority."

Harry blushed, yawned, and snuggled closer.

"Thank you."

"No problem, Muerte." Cedric smiled fondly." Now go to sleep. We'll talk with the others tomorrow."

Harry nodded and closed his eyes. It was silent for a few moments until:

"You still need to make it up to me." The sleepy teen commented slyly, making Cedric playfully grown while sporting a wide grin on his face.

"I can live with that."

\----

Atropos glared at the shivering Death Eaters surrounding him. He really didn't have time for this. He wanted to get this talk with the Dark Lord over with as soon as possible. Why he even considered taking sides with a human was beyond him. A whim maybe? Or maybe it was due to the rumors he had heard, that the Dark Lord Voldemort was no longer after his mate's head. If it was confirmed to be true with this meeting, then Atropos would ally his battalion with Voldemort. If it was false then Merlin help the snake loving bastard.

"Ah. Dementor Lord. A pleasure to finally speak with you." The voice was breathy, like a quiet hiss, but deep.

Atropos turned his glare to Voldemort as he slid through his ranks of Death Eaters like he was walking through /them/. The soul-eater wasn't impressed and simply raised an internally unamused brow. It was hard to tell his emotions beneath the cowl of his Dementor robes, which was why he had arranged to be in his Darker form for the meeting. He didn't wish to give anything away. Especially when they discussed his mate.

:: Let us get this over with human.:: he hissed, now forced to speak parsle, although it had a slight accent.

The Death Eaters around him shifted nervously; the parsletongue eerie to their ears. Voldemort smiled cruelly. Whenever someone showed a dislike for the snake-tongue it made him happy. Much like Harry, he had either been completely shunned or labeled Dark. 

"Very well, what are your terms that would make this alliance possible?" Drawled the Dark Wizard seriously.

He seemed curious as to what was beneath Atropos' cloak and the Dementor Lord suppressed a smirk. Thoughtfully he gazed at the scion for the Dark. The young man man really could be useful. His appearance was that of a thirty year old. Shoulder length brown-black hair; bright crimson eyes. Thin lips set in an aristocratic face. The Dark Lord was tall, but not as tall as Atropos in his human form. That put him at about six foot two. He looked the part of a Dark leader. Nothing like the insane man many had said him to be. Maybe he would listen? Atropos paused and he finally sighed. Well he could try anyways.

:: I want Harry Potter to be left alone. Anyone who is his friend or loved one is also off limits.:: he finally replied.

Voldemort appeared surprised at the request. What was the child to a Dementor Lord? He knew /he/ was rather curious about the child. Especially when he had learned from his spy that Harry had been asking questions about him. It seemed as if the young Gryffindor had kept with his end of the deal to gather more information. Voldemort was admittedly impressed. Since merging with his diary horocrux, he had been skeptical of his younger self's confidence in the, now, third year. He looked the hovering cloaked figure over and smirked, lifting an inquisitive brow.

::What is your interest in young Harry's safety? Or his friends for that matter?::

Atropos hesitated, wondering if he should answer the question honestly or if he should hedge around it. It was a lot of leverage to give the Dark Lord. If he decided to use the knowledge against him, it might possibly put Harry in more danger.

:: Harry is my mate. His friends mean the world to him, if you hurt them, any of them, you will have no alliance and I will make sure that you will not love long enough to regret it.:: the Dementor Lord hissed.

Voldemort blinked, astonished but the news. Even more aghast at the threat to his person. Mate? Harry a Potter was this Dark creature's...well this could work.

::Deal. Your mate and whatever friends he has, will not be harmed by me. But I must warn you, I can't speak for all of my Death eaters, some might not listen to me.::

The Dark creature bowed his head considering the point. Even /he/ could not account for every Dementor's actions. Sometimes not even those of his own clan.

:: Then we have an accord, Dark Lord. I will help you in your conquest of the wizarding world. If ever my mate comes to you, you will show him respect and answer any questions he asks, yeah?::

It wasn't really a question but a thinly veiled command. Voldemort sensed it and bowed his head in compliance of the mandate. 

:: He interests me. I hope he will talk with me like he once did. He was a good conversationalist when my younger self and he held discussions.::

The Dementor's eyes narrowed with a scowl. Younger self.

::Horocrux?::

The Dark Lord flinched but nodded. Atropos' grin was feral. Blackmail. It was almost sort of a quid pro quo. Atropos had given potentially damaging information to Voldemort and the wizard had done the same.

:: Your secret is safe with me. In the mean time I must leave. My mate has need of my services. One more thing. Was Sirius Black ever in your employ?::

Voldemort snorted.

::No. His younger brother was though.:: he stated with another raised brow.

The Dementor only nodded and turned to leave, the Death Eaters shivering with the increased cold as the Dark creature's mood changed.

::My thanks, young lord. Contact me when you are planning a raid or something to that effect.::

The Dark Lord Voldemort smirked and watched the Dementor disappear. Things had just become more interesting.


	14. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Holy crap update! I don't own the song by HIM in this beginning part just so you know. Enjoy! (Can you beleive I only have 10 more weeks or so before my little one is born? Holy monkeys time flies!)

When Harry woke he felt infinitely better than he had the night before. He didn't feel as if he wished to tear everything apart. He felt full and warm. Like he'd eaten a feast. In a way, he supposed, he had.  
He looked around him, trying to collect all of his thoughts. He had forgiven his lover. They had gone to sleep. So they must still be in Severus' guest room. Flushing with embarrassment at his actions the day before, Harry fervently hoped that the potions expert would accept his apology.

A tantrum was something expected of his former self, or even from a spoiled brat, not this new person he'd uncovered within himself. He didn't want Professor Snape to stop liking how because he had a moment. To be reminded of the man who had tortured him as a child even though Harry and James never carried the same genes to begin with.  
He was brought pout of his musings when the warm body next to him shifted and rolled over. Harry's bright emerald eyes locked with Cedric's silver and the fledgling Dementor held his breath. He had no clue what to expect. Or even why he was holding in his air.

"Good morning, Muerte."

Exhale.

Harry smiled timidly, and cuddled closer. Cedric smiled as well, holding onto his little Dementor lover tightly. Personally, the Shadow Demon was thrilled that his lover had forgiven him. He couldn't lose Harry. He couldn't describe the need to have the third year with him at all times. He knew it wasn't a mate bond. Not even a soul bond. But he loved Harry with all of his crooked heart. Being in disfavor with said child just wasn't an option. Cedric began to sing softly, a song he'd heard from a well known wizarding band that posed as muggles. He found it appropriate for the way he felt for Harry:

"We've been slaves to this love  
from the moment we touched  
and keep begging for more  
of this resurrection."

Harry clutched at Cedric's shirt as the rest of the song was sung to him, the demon's shadow magics making the song sound even more hauntingly erotic. By the time Cedric had finished, Harry was straddling the demon of shadow's lap, kissing down the older teen's neck. Chuckling, he rubbed circles into his love's sides and pulled the young ex-Gryffindor (Harry refused to acknowledge the house any longer) away and planted loving kisses to his lovers soft face. Finally, their lips locked and both moaned. Harry ground down his hips relishing the sparks of lust that traveled all over his body when he did so. Frantically they kissed and rutted against each other, as if they hadn't seen each other in decades. As if their fight had been years long. Cedric rolled them over, left Harry's lips, and intended began to trail hot wet kisses down the teen's torso. Biting and nipping, causing Harry to moan and arch wantonly. And the. There was wet heat surrounding his length and he couldn't think. Couldn't breathe. Cedric swirled his tongue, as he sucked hard. Grazing teeth. Playing gently with the ball sack. Harry was a mess of lust and want. Of need.

"Please, Cedric." He whispered; he wanted release.

He could feel the tight coil in his stomach. Cedric hummed and quickened his pace, reaching down with his free hand, the other being desperately clung to by Harry's hand, to grip his own screaming hard on. His strokes were timed to his sucking off of his fledgling prince, and soon they both owned out their release.   
The Shadow Demon cleaned up everything Harry had given with a pleased hum in the back of his throat. Like a cat that had finally been given it's cream. A few moments went by, where they collected themselves, and Cedric muttered a cleaning spell, before Harry turned his dancing eyes to his demon.

"You still owe me, Ced."

Cedric's lips twitched but he gently kissed Harry, acknowledging the teasing tone in his teen's voice. The kiss remained soft and tender, until at last Cedric pulled away and lay down beside the green eyed prince. They lay in a comfortable silence as they cuddled, soaking up the post orgasmic high.

"We should shower. I think we should talk with the others before we go to breakfast today." Cedric stated as he placed kisses to Harry's shoulder.

The Dementor child winced, not really looking forward to facing the people who had put up with him for so long only to have him throw a fit when he gets upset. Childish. So childish. Harry nuzzled Cedric's face, perfectly aware of how he was acting. Really. He didn't even know how they were going to act. He was only assuming. Nothing good ever came from that.

"Everything will be fine, Muerte. Remember what I told you about friends at the beginning of the year."

Harry thought back to their time on the train, then nodded, finding the memory.

"I meant it. If these people can't deal with a little well deserved mood swing, then they weren't worth your time." Cedric replied smoothing down Harry's furrowed brow.

The little soul-sucker appeared so adorable when he was in the midst of thought. Eventually, they crawled out of bed and shared a loving shower, filled with caresses and assurances. When they exited the bathroom, both were feeling much more calm. No doubts about how they felt about each other, they dressed and left the room to find the others already up and sitting on the couches by the fireplace. Harry blushed and cast his gaze downward, unwilling to meet their eyes as he told them sorry.

"I apologize for acting like a child yesterday everyone. Professor Snape, I never meant to wreck your rooms. Blaise, I didn't mean to cause you such trouble, and Luna, I'm sorry I worried you." He finished and scuffed his foot a bit.

He heard Severus snort, Blaise scoff and Luna sigh. He squeaked when he was enveloped in the strong arms of his friends. His make shift family. He and Cedric shared a look, Cedric's full of 'I told you so' and Harry's of awe. It still took him by surprise. That these people would want him.

"My rooms needed a good cleaning, brat. You just made my job easier."

"I think I rather enjoyed having you in my lap, bambino."

"I'm just glad you and Cedric were able to patch things up, aniki."

And that was that. They moved on. Sitting on the couch between Cedric and Luna, Severus talked of how he planned to make Ron's life hell in classes once school started back up, then while in the middle of yelling at the Weasel he would hex him with a nasty wizard STD. It would be undetectable but spread to whoever he slept with. Rumor had it that recently Ron had been seeing numerous girls besides Hermione, although Harry could bet anything that the know-it-all had no clue about it. Cedric stated that he would talk with Atropos about carrying out their revenge when school started up again as well.

The Dark Hufflepuff knew more than one way to make the child fear his own shadow for the rest of his life. He hoped the Dementor Lord could do the same for whenever the Gryffindor left Hogwarts walls. After that discussion was finished Blaise described the cauterization of the wound. He didn't feel sorry for Ron, but he could admit to never wanting to experience that kind of pain. Ever. Still, Harry was more than relieved that Ron had no means magically to hurt him anymore. That was good right? It didn't make him a bad person to be happy about the fact his ex-friend had been harmed? Right?

When Blaise was finished speaking they all went to the Great Hall for breakfast, wanting to see the Italian Slytherin's handiwork. They all sat at Slytherin table, minus Severus of course, who took his seat at the head table and began to place the healthy foods presented on their plates. Harry was halfway through his celery stick when it happened. He really shouldn't have been surprised that there would be some great sympathy cord played, but he was. It was Cedric who brought his attention to it, as he'd been busy lining up his celery sticks with his carrot sticks and apple wedges, and his eyes widened.   
Being escorted down the isle between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables by Headmaster Dumbledore, was a one armed Ronald Weasley. The coward appeared cowed, but if one looked closely, and the Slytherin's were, you could see the smug glint of satisfaction in his eyes. The students, the ones still in Hofwarts for the holiday -which only really amounted to a handful per table- all began whispering to themselves as the duo made their way to the front of the room before the Head Table. Harry's eyes narrowed as he nibbled on his vegetable stalk, not that hungry anymore. Especially when the headmaster turned to face the small gathering of teens, a hand on Ron's shoulder.

"My dear students, I have some horrible news to share with you today." Dumbledore began, a grave grandfatherly disguise firmly in place.

Many of the students stopped whispering and focused their attention on Ron, who puffed up slightly with the recognition. The Slytherins all sneered. It was obvious that the cowardly lion was just playing up his injury. How could all of the others be so easily fooled?

"Yes. It seems someone attacked with such viciousness that his arm, his wand arm no less, is forever lost to him, as we were unable to attach it. I want anyone with information about who might have done this to feel free to tell me. No one will ever know you said anything. If no one comes forward, and I find out who did this, that person will no longer have a place here."

The Slytherins understood the underlying threat. If he caught who did it, they couldn't have a place at Hogwarts because they would be dead.

"In the mean time, I ask that you all be kind to Mister Weasley, and help him as he can do few things with only one arm." So stated, the headmaster motioned for Ron to take his seat at Gryffindor Table and then Dumbledore made his way to the Head Table.

Many of the Slytherins snorted. Help Ron indeed. They weren't his slaves. That's exactly what Dumbles wanted too.

"Cedric, look. Ron's already being pampered by...is that Lavender Brown?" Inquired Harry, put off his appetite.

The Shadow Demon nodded, eyes narrowed.

"It is. Don't worry, Muerte. He will not be so loved soon. Remember what we still have in store for him. No one will want to be around him by the time we are finished with him," Cedric promised, running a consoling hand through his little prince's hair.

Harry frowned, sickened but the obsessive behavior Lavender was exhibiting towards the traitor. It reminded him too much of the female Weasley. Except Ron was eating up such attentions. The young soul eater shuddered and turned away, back to focusing on the food he no longer felt like eating.

"Ugh. It's disgusting." Luna stated, putting her own fork down and pushing away her plate of eggs. 

The Slytherins followed suit. Cedric however simply covered Harry's eyes with his hand and kissed him tenderly. Then he guided Harry's hand to an apple wedge, while keeping the one hand over the fledgling's eyes.

"Eat now, Muerte. You no longer need to worry about such a disturbing image." The demon said softly in Harry's ear, drawing a shiver of desire up the boy's spine.

Absently, Harry nodded and began to eat once more. All the while, the others noticed they were being stared down by numerous students and teachers, Dumbledore among them. Cedric snorted, but kept Harry's eyes covered. He needed his love to eat. The child ate so little as it was.

"So when will you and Harry be making your escape?" Blaise whispered, biting into his piece of bacon.

Harry flinched, butterflies fluttering about in his stomach at the thought of meeting the ex-Azkaban prisoner. It was today. Today. Lunch. He groaned. Cedric glared at the Gryffindor a Table and smirked when Ron noticed and flinched.

"Lunch. Make sure you keep prying eyes off of our were abouts. We'll probably be meeting Atro at the tree."

"He really hates it when someone besides me calls him that." Harry murmured with a small smile.

Cedric snorted and nibbled on Harry's ear.

"He can get over it. After all I'm sharing you with him. He has no right to complain."

Harry shivered and smiled more, cuddling closer to the demon's warmth. Blaise rolled his eyes but nodded to Cedric to show that he heard. Luna blinked then ruffled her brother's hair.

"Listen carefully. He may just surprise you, aniki."

With those puzzling words, they finished their meals and then quietly left the Great Hall to prepare Harry for his meeting with Sirius Black.


	15. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So I've come to the conclusion that most people don't have a very far reaching imagination. It's kinda sad really. But in any case, please, respect the fact that what I want to put into the stories I'm writing, while different from what YOU might put or even what the original author might have put, doesn't mean it can't happen. It's fanfiction for one, and FICTION for another. Meaning everything I put isn't part of the Harry Potter world anyways. So really if I wanted to make Voldie jump around in a tutu, it's not going to influence what the author already wrote. Anyways, I'm not saying this to pick a fight with anyone. I just wish people would respect the fact that while what I write might not jive with what others think should or shouldn't be in the world of Harry Potter, doesn't mean that it can't be in there. 
> 
> Ok as for the story, Severus is a Lytis Demon. Meaning...he's a sex demon lol! He's kind of related to the Incubi and Succubi but...isn't? That's the best definition I can give those who are wondering. And omg the first book is almost done! Eeeee! Which means I will need to start working super hard on the second one as I've been...neglecting it...lol!(also for those who didn't get the stuffed animals names, 10 and 4 are in reference to two of my favorite Doctors from Doctor Who. Kind of a tribute if you will.)
> 
> On a side note, I'm now 35 weeks and 4 days along! My little boy could come any day now! I'm super excited and everything is all set up in the room and eeeee! Anyways, I will try to update soon!
> 
> Allons-y!

Death's Heir chapter 14-

Harry smiled when he spotted Atropos, releasing Cedric's hand to race to the Dementor Lord's side. He mah have been in his Dark form but Harry could still tell it was his beloved friend. He didn't know how, but he did. Atro seemed astonished that Harry was willing to even touch his Dark form, with it's dark scaly skin and overly large cowl. Still, he hugged his little mate close, breathing in his scent, and fighting off a jealous growl when he did so. His mate was saturated with the scent of the Shadow Demon. He really didn't like it. Normally he didn't get jealous, this time however...

Harry burrowed into Atro's arms, feeling safe and totally unaware of the older soul eater's dilemma. He needed this. He needed both of the men he loved to be with him as did this. Because if this meeting with Sirius ended up being a bad idea...

"I've missed you." Harry mumbled and Atropos smirked beneath his hood.

Oh, his little love was so adorable when he was like this. He felt a certain amount of pride in himself that Harry missed his presence after only one day of being apart. Still, he understood it. They hadn't had alone time in a while. Too many responsibilities. Which reminded him. He needed to tell Harry about Voldemort. He would never keep such an alliance from his intended.

:: I could have sworn we saw each other just the other day, little death.:: he teased, his voice coming out raspy in this form.

Harry shivered and clung to the Dementor Lord tighter.

"Yes. But we had a minor confrontation with Headmaster Dumbledore yesterday. And I had a small breakdown."

Atro tensed, his powers leaking out as he glared at the Shadow Demon over in his mate's head. Harry moaned quietly, oblivious.

:: Oh really? And why would that be, child?:: he purred dangerously.

Cedric's eyes became slits briefly before the Demon scoffed and looked away, guessing why the dark creature was angry.

"Dumbledore angered him, causing his Dark side to feel the need to give the old fool 'the kiss'. I had Blaise get him out of there, then we dealt with the headmaster. I fed Harry last night to calm him."

Harry shivered again in remembrance of his rage. He never wanted to be that angry again. Ever. Atropos ran a gray scaly hand through his little death's unruly hair and contemplated the many ways he could kill the headmaster with out it coming back and hurting Harry. He wore fury like an old familiar cowl, letting the rage simmer and boil beneath the surface, rolling at around on his tongue like a candy. He understood his lover's emotions when it came to the crackpot, but he was livid that Dumbledore had provoked Harry's untrained Dementor abilities. Thankfully, as much as he was loathe to admit it. Cedric had maneuvered his fledgling prince out of the meddler's presence in time. He'd never hear him say thank you.  
Finally, Harry pulled away and smiled happily at Atropos.

:: Are you ready to go meet Sirius?:: Atropos asked gently, noting the underlying anxiety in those bright green orbs. Harry gulped and shook his head.

"No, but I have you guys there to make sure I'm alright." He stated and grabbed both Atropos and Cedric by the hand.

Atropos felt warmed by the words and allowed himself to be elf to the base of the Whomping Willow. The Hufflepuff demon threw a rock at the knot and the tree dipped it's rather erratic, potentially lethal movement. Harry wrinkled his nose at the dank smell of mildewed earth with in the tunnel. It was a bitter tang that filled their nostrils and reminded him of what he thought death might smell like.   
By the time they all made it through the trap door to the Shrieking Shack, Harry was more than eager to leave the tunnel's depths. He would never admit to any of them how utterly terrified he was of the dark. All of his years in the cupboard under the stairs had sought to that. He'd even forgotten his anxiousness over meeting his godfather for the first time in the face of that seemingly overwhelming, endless darkness.

That is, until he came to a stop beside his lovers. It was then he spotted the haunted, emaciated form of Sirius Black. The man who staring wide-eyed at the Dementor Lord, likely because he wasn't feel in the effects of the Dementor's powers like he had whenever in their presence at Azkaban. He seemed confused. Atropos found this all rather amusing, to say the least.

:: Tell him that I won't use my powers on him, unless he harms you.:: he hissed to Harry, gently carding his hands through the fledgling's hair to calm him.

Harry nodded and leaned into Atropos' form.

"Don't worry. His power won't harm you unless you give him reason to believe you are a threat."

Sirius raised a brow but nodded and motioned for them to come further into the room so that they could be more comfortable. Harry sneezed, dust getting kicked up as they moved through the broken down shack. There were only two chairs and a large bed. They appeared to be old and decrepit. As if they'd been there for eons. Their surroundings were desolate to say the least. It was filthy, the moonlight shining through the cracks on the roof and illuminated specks of thick dust hovering in the stale air. Deep gauges, like teeth of some wild monsters animal were torn into the wood surrounding them.

Mold, ivy, and random weeds littered the walls and floors, adding to the wild untamed feel of the shack itself. It looked and felt old. Full of secrets and charts of the past.  
Cedric sat warily in one chair, while Harry and Atropos settled on the bed with an obvious ease that appeared to unnerve Sirius and annoy Cedric. Harry curled against Atropos' side, keeping a sharp eye on Sirius as he sat in the other chair. An awkward silence settled around them and the dark haired teen wondered how long it would take before one of them snapped and started talking. By the way Sirius was fidgeting, it would likely not take long.

"So I'm sure you're wondering what I want. Actually, I'm rather surprised you even came. I thought for sure you'd have ratted me out." The escaped convict stated after he cleared his throat.

Harry's eyes widened, astonished that the man could think so low of his character. Then again, for the past thirteen or so years he'd been surrounded by backstabbing inmates. So it was probably an ingrained action.

"I would never do that to someone else. I'm trying hard to find out the truth of people on my own so that I might form my own opinions." Harry assured kindly but firmly, giving Atro a warm smile when the older Dark creature squeezed him in a comforting hold.

Sirius gave Harry a grateful smile and then nervously gazed at his clenched hands, which gripped the he, of his shirt tightly, as if holding it so tight would ease worry.

"Well, thank you. I guess I should start with the fact that I'm not after you. At least not for the reasons everyone assumes. You are my godson, and I've longed to be on your life from the moment James named me thus." He began and when he gazed at Harry he was surprised to be met with only curiosity. So he continued," The night that the Dark Lord killed your parents was heart breaking for me. I left you with Hagrid because the man who betrayed your family wasn't me and knowing who it was, I chased after him. We got into a battle. I was careful not to harm anyone, however the betrayer wasn't. He killed those muggles and then severed his finger, faking his own death in the eyes of the Ministry. When the Aurors showed up, I was blamed and shipped off to Azkaban."

Cedric snorted and folded his arms across his chest, giving a solemn nod.

"Without a trial no doubt. Which means Dumbledore knew your innocence but allowed you to be sent anyways." He commented, causing Sirius to growl.

"Dumbledore wouldn't do that to me." He snapped, garnering scoffs from everyone.

Sirius' eyes darted to all of them individually, confused as to the group's collective response. Atro seemed to find it more amusing than any of them.

"Am I missing something?" The Black heir asked dryly.

Harry shifted slightly in Atropos' arms but nodded.

"Dumbledore sent me to live with abusive muggles. He's turned the whole of Gryffindor house against me. This year I've almost been killed twice by people Dumbledore holds in high esteem, a teacher named Remus Lupin and my former best mate, Ronald Weasley." Harry stated, irritated with having to explain himself, but knowing it was needed.

Sirius' expression darkened but turned both shocked and murderous, an odd combination, at the mention of Remus Lupin. Cedric noticed and smirked.

"That's right, Black. Your good friend Remus Lupin fired a spell at Harry for no reason. Ronald Weasley because he was angry. Dumbledore, just the other day, told Luna and I to stay away from Harry if we didn't wish to be 'tainted' as he put it. Still think your precious Headmaster wouldn't turn on you in a heartbeat if it meant he could get rid of Harry?" The 'without getting his hands dirty' was left unsaid.

Sirius was suddenly replaced by a large Grim. Its black shaggy coat bristling as it growled and paced the floor. After a few moments the animal was replaced by an equally furious Sirius, he didn't even pause in his steps.

" I can't believe Remus would ...why...maybe it's because..."

Harry watched the man as he mumbled to himself for a long, tense moment. Sirius growled again and faced his godson. Harry gulped under the Grim animagus' scrutiny.

"I guess that brings me to the other thing I needed to talk to you about. Harry your father really wasn't James Potter. I don't know who he is but Lily made me swear to tell you at least that much. She and your real father loved you very much." He confessed, intense grey gaze boring into the teen's own.

Harry nodded, blinking back unwanted tears at the knowledge that he was loved by people no longer living.

"I know that already. The part about my father not being James anyways. Atropos said he knew my real father well. Said he was a Lord." The black haired teen hedged. He wanted to keep the information of his creature heritage silent for the moment.

Sirius appeared shocked and gazed at the Dementor Lord.

"You knew Harry's true father?"

Atropos inclined his head.

::Yes, Úlairi was a great person. Not many knew what he looked like. He was a fair leader, a decent healer, and he absolutely refused to harm women or children.:: the Dark creature stated and while his mate translated, he began playing idly with a few strands of his little one's hair.

The younger soul-sucker stared in awe at his lover. This was the first time he'd heard anything about his father and he was gobbling it up like a kid at thanksgiving dinner. Much like he had when he first had been told about the late James Potter.

"Wait. Harry's father was a healer?" Cedric asked incredulously.

Atropos shifted so that the bottomless black of his cowl met with Cedric. Although the Shadow Demon couldn't see it, Atropos was showing off a pointed toothed grin.

::We all have quirks. Mine are the pointed teeth. With my brother it's an obsessive need to dye his hair every color imaginable. It just so happened that Harry's father enjoyed healing those unjustly hurt by either Dark or Light wizards. Whether it be Light, Dark or creature, he would heal them enough that they could get themselves to professionals. It's a rare gift actually, much like Harry's.:: The Lord Dementor explained, Harry translating once more.

The demon teen raised an eyebrow and grunted,

"Who knew."

Atropos chuckled out a raspy laugh and decided he could continue this meeting in human form. After all, if Sirius betrayed Harry he could always eat him. He switched forms quickly, ever mindful of his little death's eyes on the transition. He settled Harry closer to him and glared at the stunned Black.

"It's something we wished to keep from mortals. Death itself granted us many of our powers to pass judgement on the truly corrupt. It's only been recently that most of our powers have been misused. It's a disgrace to our kind really." Harry shivered as Atropos' voice rumbled out of his chest, of which he was comfortably seated against.

He always enjoyed it when Atro was in his human form. Still, that didn't mean he didn't find the Dementor sexy even in his Dark form. He smiled softly, anticipating that day.

::Pervert.:: Atropos whispered, in their tongue and the teen found himself caught between scowling and blushing.

Sirius' help of shock brought their attention back to him and they found the older wizard staring at Harry with an expression bordering on slight fear.

"Your father was a Dementor Lord? Oh boy. No wonder she never said anything,"

Harry flinched at the fear he saw but found he understood it. Sirius didn't exactly have a good rapport with the Dementors.

"Now that you know, what will you do?" Surprisingly it was Harry who demanded the answer from the dog animagus.

Atropos and Cedric peered at Harry with pride in their eyes, stiffening when the answer to their endless questions was not forthcoming. This would be the moment of truth. This was the moment that could ruin it all. Black could leak what Harry was to the Ministry. He would no doubt be jerked up and experimented on. The first of the Dementor's able to live as a human. It seemed to take forever for Sirius to decide but when he did, his starlight grey eyes held nothing but love for the teen encompassed in Atropos' arms on the bed. With a determined nod he stepped closer, kneeling, to Harry's dismay, respectfully.

"I would still like to be in your life as your godfather, no matter what side you choose or if you decide to stay out of the war, I will show you that not all Light people are bad. That you can trust me."

Harry blinked and after a questioning glance at his lovers, he gave the Black a wary nod.

"I will give you a chance, Sirius, but I can't promise your safety if I or my friends are threatened by you, is that fair?" He replied.

Sirius beamed like a school child, at once making his haggard features appear more youthful and energetic. Quickly he nodded and stood again, settling nearer to his godson now that he was no longer deemed a threat.

"So...tell me about yourself, Harry?"

-end of chapter-


	16. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: this is the last chapter guys! I'm sorry it took so long! Our heater broke so I figured I would type this up for you guys while I watch my bundled munchkin sleep :3 Enjoy! Now on to Book Two!

Death's Heir chapter 15- Epilogue

[Harry POV]

After that day, Sirius and I did our best to get to know each other. At first I thought that he would end up being like all the others. Of even a trap set up by Dumbledore to tear me down completely, but it turned out that Black's are loyal to people they consider family until the very end. In fact when I told him exactly what had happened while at the Dursley's, and the fact I'd have to go back, he was so livid that Cedric had been forced to place Sirius in a full body bind to prevent him from storming up to the castle to kill the supreme Mugwump. I find it funny now but at the time it was nerve wrecking. As soon as my godfather finished calming down he instructed me to let him know if things became too bad for me to handle before Cedric picked me up two weeks before the end of summer vacation.

He then gave me the address to the house he would be staying. That was another thing he took rather gracefully. The fact that I had two lovers. He actually didn't seem too bothered about it, although he did tell both Atro and Cedric that they were to take care of me or else. Atropos, while amused, had readily agreed and Cedric rolled his eyes.   
Anyways, I promised to keep in touch and the school year continued. Ron was rumored to have infested a total of four girls so far, and also to have visited Madame Pomfrey, complaining about feeling like he was being watched. I took my tests and really hoped I made a passing grade. I mean I had studied enough with Luna, Blaise, and Cedric so I should.  
I sighed as I looked away from the window and focused on my lover and friends as they played War together. I had lost last round and really we were only passing the train ride to Platform 9 3/4. Back to our lives before we'd become friends. I smiled fondly at them. They really did care about me. It was still so fresh and new. I just was so used to looking over my shoulder. Even when I was friends with Hermione and Ron. For the first time in my life I was now accepted. I was fine by myself. I didn't need to change myself to make them happy.  
It was awesome feeling. Like a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Now I had Cedric, Blaise, Luna, and Atro to watch over me. Even the friendly acquaintances I had within our group, all watched out for me. All making sure that no more knives came at me.

"Harry, you need to stop zoning out." Blaise teased while handing me over his flask offering me a sip of whatever concoction he had amassed in the bottle.

I chuckled, fighting down a blush as I took a gulp. Rum. Drinking was one of the few vices I still had. Cedric had suggested I stop cutting because I might garner more attention than I wanted. Where as with drinking, smoking, or even the pills could be hidden easier. Not that any of them were terribly healthy, but you get the point. I curled against Cedric's side, resting my head on his shoulder as Luna gathered up the cards and dealt them out to us again. Cedric kissed my temple with a small smile, wrapping me in both his arms and his shadows.

"Did you hear? Ron lost his rat." Luna commented, a frown of worry crossing her features.

"Is that bad?" Blaise inquired recognizing her look of unease.

Luna shrugged and continued dealing.

"I'm not sure."

I gathered my cards and tilted my head to the side. If Luna was unsure it must mean it was more of a feeling than a vision. Those, sometimes were worse. There was no way she could help. She was forced to sit back and let whatever would happen, run it's course.  
With a scowl she popped a few pills into her mouth and chewed on them. As we played I thought back to the last conversation I had with Atropos before I had taken my last end of semester test. He finally told me of his alliance. Apparently he and Tom had come to an agreement. I was now off limits. I could remain neutral. I probably would unless something changed my mind. It was obvious though that Atro had been worried about my reaction. I was flattered really. That he considered me worthy enough to tell me such a decision. I gave him a giant hug of course. I told him what it meant to me.  
I smiled softly as I remembered our goodbye kiss before Cedric and I entered the train. Atro said he'd see me at Cedric's when I went over, if he could, otherwise I could write him. Cedric poked my side, causing me to squeak and return my attention back to the game.

"Are you looking forward to coming over?" He whispered to me.

Needlessly I might add, but our friends gave us the semblance of privacy. I grinned at him, feeling tingles shoot up and down my spine. Oh I was thrilled about it. I had a big surprise for Cedric the day I made it to his house.

"Yeah. I can't wait, Cedric." I replied, nuzzling his chest as I laid down the ace of spades that took his Queen of hearts.

Cedric chuckled and kissed me once more, tenderly, on the cheek.

"Me either, Muerte."

We continued our game.

\-----

Severus blinked back tears as he re-read the Time Delayed letter he had just received from Lily Potter née Evans. He couldn't believe it. He'd known all this time? He crumpled the paper and gazed out the window, spying the column of smoke rising in the distance that signaled the train leaving the station. All this time his memory had been locked away thanks to Lily's clever mind. She'd cast memory-locking charms on him, that only released those memories when the castor deemed fit.  
Apparently, his had been locked until he'd received the letter. Still. All this time he had been mentally abusing Lily's son because of a grudge he'd held against James Potter. James wasn't even Harry's real father! Úlairi was. A Dementor Lord. Harry was a prince!

Severus groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose, ignoring the tears that fell. Oh how Lily would be so disappointed in him. She had trusted him with the knowledge of her child's parentage and it's safety and he had squandered it on petty revenge.  
He had been so wrong about the child. He'd need to apologize properly. Somehow. He'd taken quite a liking to the young soul eater. Protective. Attracted? Yes. He just hoped that Harry really could forgive him. It seemed as if he had. Still. No one forgave the greasy git. Even Lily hadn't completely forgiven him. They had become close once more but it was still slightly strained on certain issues.  
But he had promised Lily, before she had charmed his memories, that he would protect her son with his life. She had been nervous though. She trusted Severus to keep mum about the subject of Harry's heritage, but she didn't trust his lord. She knew if he wanted the information enough, the older Dark Wizard could and would strip Severus' mind for the things he sought. So to protect Harry and Severus both, she had cast the memory charm.

Severus winced as he stared out the window again, finally running a shaking hand through his slightly greasy hair. He'd be sure to fix it. He had to. And he would make sure to tell Harry everything about his mother. Even the parts of his childhood he'd much rather forget if not for the major role that Lily Evans had played in it.

"This time I won't fail you Lily. No matter what my status in your son's life ends up being, I will strive to protect him with my dying breath and beyond." He whimpered into the emptiness of his rooms.

And he meant it.

Harry's fourth year would be well guarded and happy. He'd make sure of it. Suddenly his floo activated and the Headmaster's unsavory face made itself visible in his fireplace. Severus stifled a growl and walked over to the floo.

"Oh Severus, my dear boy. I wonder if I could have a word with you?"

Scowling, the potions master curtly nodded and Dumbledore vanished, allowing Severus to step through. Nice he was in the room he stood in front of the Headmaster's desk, tightening his mental shields.

"Well what is it, Albus. I don't have all day." He sneered.

The headmaster's eyes twinkled as he steepled his hands on his desk.

"My boy. I need to ask you a favor. I know how much you hated James. Well his son is no less evil than the boy you hated. I would like it if you would make sure the child's life is even more miserable than it is now." 

Severus almost showed his shock. Almost. Was the old man seriously suggesting that he torture the boy? He couldn't agree to that. Not even if it was James' actual son.

"The boy's life is miserable enough with out my assistance. However I won't ease it for him either, Headmaster. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a delicate potion to get back to. Good day sir." He snarled, spun around, and left.

He smirked once outside of the Headmaster's quarters and back into his own rooms. He'd never seen that particular shade if red in the old man's face before.

-end-


End file.
